After the Israeli government’s formal declaration of “war” on Sunday against Hamas militants in Gaza following the Palestinian Islamist militant group’s surprise Saturday attack on the Jewish state, United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that the US would deploy a military aircraft carrier and warships and provide other assistance to Israel to assist the Jewish State in responding to the assault, according to the US Department of Defense in a news release issued Sunday.
The US has sent the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) aircraft carrier, the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), and the Arleigh-Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS Carney (DDG 64), and USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) to the region, augmented by additional Air Force F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter jets. The US is also providing the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions, he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu vowed “mighty vengeance” against Hamas and warned Palestinian civilians to “leave,” although not clear how or where they would go.
President Biden reiterated the United States’ “rock solid” support for Israel and the Israeli people.
Early Saturday morning, Hamas launched a barrage of 5,000 rockets and dispatched fighters into “Israeli territory” in an operation dubbed “Al Aqsa Flood” and declared a national insurrection against Israel. Urged on by Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif who said in a recorded message: “If you have a gun, get it out. This is the time to use it – get out with trucks, cars, axes; today the best and most honorable history starts,” Hamas fighters rampaged across the Israeli border killing and kidnapping hundreds of Israelis, resulting in the country’s heaviest death toll in decades, estimated at more than 700 people, according to AP.
The next day Israel commenced airstrikes against Palestinians in Gaza, destroying residential buildings and hospitals and killing hundreds more people including civilians.
At least 511 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed and 2750 injured in Israeli air raids on the blockaded territory since Saturday, stated Gaza’s Health Ministry, reported Reuters.
Israel said its death toll had risen to 800 with more than 2243 injured.
Israel also ordered its state-owned electric utility to cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip on Saturday, according to Israel’s energy minister.
The escalating violence in the Middle East threatens to spark a huge new conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is meeting today with Secretary General of the League of Arab States (LAS) Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Moscow, stated Russia’s FM Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to TASS.
The Kingdom of Morocco, which currently chairs the Arab League Council, has called for an emergency meeting of the Council’s foreign ministers, following the worsening situation in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas’ attack coincided with the 50th anniversary of the October War in 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab countries, mainly Egypt and Syria, and the Jewish Holiday of Simchat Torah (the Torah feast) on October 7-8.