U.S. Defense Secretary: We Place No Conditions on Security Assistance to Israel

On Thursday, October 12, Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, stated that the U.S. military places no conditions on providing security assistance to Israel. He added that Washington expects the Israeli army to act 'correctly' in its war against the Hamas militant group. The U.S. is rapidly sending air defense forces and munitions to Israel. Israel has committed to destroying Hamas. Speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Mr. Austin emphasized that the U.S. has not set any conditions for supplying this equipment to Israel. He said, 'Israel is a professional army, and we hope and expect that they will take the right actions as they continue their campaigns.' Previously, Israel, following a request from the Red Cross for permission to allow fuel to prevent hospitals in Gaza from becoming 'morgues,' stated that no humanitarian actions would be taken until all Hamas hostages are released. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who traveled to Tel Aviv to express solidarity, told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. will always stand by Israel. Since Hamas's attack on Israel, the U.S. military has deployed its military equipment to the region, including the USS Gerald Ford, which has entered the Eastern Mediterranean to respond to any threats, including preventing additional weapons from reaching Hamas. The U.S. has also bolstered regional air forces with F-35, F-15, F-16 fighter jets, and A-10 squadrons. The Pentagon has stated that the warplanes, destroyers, and cruisers accompanying Ford will conduct naval and air operations, which could range from intelligence gathering to long-range strikes. The U.S. Defense Secretary noted that the United States has not observed signs of a potential attack by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon against Israel or an escalation of the conflict. Mr. Austin mentioned that they have not seen a concentration of forces along the border and are looking for other signs that could lead to an escalation of the conflict. The White House described Trump's remarks about Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Minister as 'dangerous.' The Chief of Staff of the Israeli army acknowledged the failure to prevent the Hamas attack. Blinken emphasized U.S. support for Israel during his meeting with Netanyahu. The U.S. Secretary of State has arrived in Israel. The U.S. Ambassador to the UN stated that Americans should recount what has happened to the victims of the Hamas attack. The U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier docked in South Korea to display power. The most advanced U.S. aircraft carrier has entered the region to support Israel.