U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressed concern on the 22nd (local time) about the possibility of an escalation in the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, stating that he would not hesitate to take action.
Secretary Austin appeared on ABC's "This Week" and said, "We are concerned about the potential for conflict escalation." He emphasized, "We are witnessing a serious possibility of escalation in attacks against U.S. forces and Americans in the region," adding, "The additional deployment of troops sends another message to all forces seeking to expand this conflict." He also added, "We have the right to defend ourselves and will not hesitate to take appropriate measures."
The night before, Secretary Austin announced the start of deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system in preparation for rising tensions in the Middle East and began preparations to increase troop numbers. However, regarding direct involvement in Israel's defense, Austin only reaffirmed the principle that "the focus is on providing all necessary support for Israel to defend itself."
Regarding the possibility of ground warfare, he viewed it negatively, saying, "Urban warfare is extremely difficult and very slow," and added, "It could be even more challenging due to the underground tunnels built by Hamas and the fact that they have prepared for a long time."
He also stated, "Hamas is a terrorist organization and does not represent the Palestinian people," and "Ultimately, Israel wants Hamas to withdraw from Gaza." On the same day, he mentioned, "During combat, civilians must be protected according to international law, and we are also advising the Israeli counterpart to protect civilians under international law."
Since the war began with Hamas's surprise attack on the 7th, the death toll on both sides is understood to have exceeded 6,000. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip reported that the Palestinian death toll has reached 4,651. It is estimated that nearly 1,400 people have died in Israel as well.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Israeli forces guarding the northern border with Lebanon and warned that if Hezbollah joins the war, they would be making "a mistake of a lifetime," saying, "We will attack with unimaginable force." This was a strong warning about the possibility of Hezbollah, supported by Iran, intervening in the current war. Sporadic clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have been confirmed at the northern border.
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