U.S. special forces are in Israel to assist with rescuing hostages held by Hamas. Washington has deployed military assets bristling with firepower to the Middle East en masse.
Yet, as Israel faces its greatest crisis in half a century, American involvement is poised to increase dramatically. (RELATED: Senior Leader Dead – Israel Drops Invasion Bombshell)
On Sunday, two senior Biden administration officials clarified that the United States could directly intervene in the Israel-Hamas war. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin cautioned there is a real potential for a significant increase in attacks against U.S. troops and civilians in the region.
Austin warned the U.S. has the right to self-defense and “won't hesitate to take the appropriate action.”
“This is not what we want, not what we're looking for. We don't want escalation,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized. “But if that happens, we're ready for it.”
Meanwhile, the White House urges the Israeli government to postpone its planned invasion of the Gaza Strip as Jerusalem receives additional military assets. (RELATED: Biden Official's Resignation Causes Major Stir In Washington)
Fox News explains:
The high-ranking U.S. officials issued the warning ahead of Israel's expected ground invasion of Gaza, which is governed by Hamas, a terror group that led a deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israeli civilians. The attack left more than 1,400 Israelis dead.
Blinken, who spent several days meeting with regional leaders in the Middle East, also suggested there was a “likelihood of escalation” while clarifying that no one wants to see Israel forced to respond to hostilities on a second or third front as it fights Hamas.
Blinken said he expects “escalation by Iranian proxies directed against our forces, directed against our personnel,” and added, “We are taking steps to make sure that we can effectively defend our people and respond decisively if we need to.”
Iran actively calls for the destruction of both Israel and the U.S.
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