24-10-23, 04:02
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#23
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re: US Strikes Syria -Targeted Weapons, Munitions & Iranian-Backed Groups
How Far Would The US Go to Defend Israel?
Hamas Releases Two Elderly Israeli Women Hostages -Now in Tel Aviv Hospital
BBC 24 OCT 2023
The US has pledged its unwavering support to Israel and backed that up with military aid. But with the scars of past entanglements in the region still being felt, where is the limit to US involvement?
In his first reaction to the attack on Israel by Hamas, President Biden made clear whose side he's on: "The United States has Israel's back," he said.
"To anyone thinking of taking advantage of the situation, I have one word: Don't," he added.
This warning was clearly aimed at Iran and its allies.
US troops in Iraq and Syria have been attacked several times in recent days, the Pentagon says, and a US destroyer in the Red Sea intercepted missiles fired from Yemen which were "potentially" aimed towards Israel.
The US already has a carrier strike group in the Eastern Mediterranean, soon to be joined by another in the region. Each aircraft carrier has more than 70 aircraft on board - considerable firepower. Mr Biden has also placed thousands of US troops on standby to move to the region if required.
The US is Israel's largest military backer, providing about $3.8bn of defence aid a year.
The Israeli jets bombing Gaza are American-made, as are most of the precision-guided munitions now being used. Some of the interceptor missiles for Israel's Iron Dome air defence system are also produced in the US.
The US was sending re-supplies of those weapons even before Israel requested them. And on Friday President Biden asked Congress to approve $14bn funding for its Middle Eastern ally's war chest as part of a $105bn (£87bn) military aid package.
The following day, the Pentagon announced it would send two of its most powerful missile defence systems to the Middle East - a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot batteries.
But would a US president really be willing to become embroiled in another war, especially in an election year? Recent US military adventures in the region have proved costly - politically, economically and in terms of American lives.
Hamas Releases Two Elderly Israeli Women Hostages
Hamas on Monday released two elderly Israeli hostages for what it said were humanitarian reasons.
The release of Yocheved Lif****z, 85, and Nurit Cooper, 79, comes just days after Hamas released an American mother and her teenage daughter from captivity. The group is still holding more than 200 people, including Americans, hostage, according to Israeli officials.
The latest release came after mediation efforts by Egypt, a spokesperson for Hamas said on Telegram. The initial Hamas announcement also cited Qatar, but the spokesperson later deleted the reference to the Gulf country.
The Israeli Prime Ministers' Office issued a statement thanking Egypt and the Red Cross for helping in the release of the two hostages.
Israeli officials said that the families of Lif****z and Cooper have been notified. The officials added that the husbands of the two women were also kidnapped by Hamas militants and haven't been released.
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