U.S. Defense Secretary Visits Israel to Assess Security Support and Engage with Top Officials

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin landed in Tel Aviv, Israel on Friday with the aim of conferring with high-ranking Israeli authorities and personally evaluating the American military and security contributions that were speedily sent to Israel at the onset of its conflict with the extremist group, Hamas.

Austin’s visit follows closely on the heels of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s arrival in the region just one day prior, as part of heightened diplomatic efforts in the Middle East aimed at preventing a broader regional confrontation.

The Defense Secretary is scheduled for discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as other key figures in the Israeli War Cabinet.

Austin’s visit coincides with a period of heightened tension, as Israel’s armed forces have directed a mass evacuation of civilians in Gaza City, ostensibly in anticipation of an impending ground offensive. In response, the governing authority of Gaza, Hamas, has urged Palestinians to remain in their residences and resist Israeli forces.

Officials accompanying Austin have emphasized that his mission is to reaffirm the U.S.’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security, ensuring that Israel is adequately equipped for its self-defense. According to a senior defense official, the U.S. has already supplied Israel with small diameter bombs and interceptor missiles for its Iron Dome anti-missile system, with additional munitions slated to arrive imminently.

Austin has been in frequent communication with Defense Minister Gallant and has overseen the swift reallocation of U.S. naval vessels, intelligence resources, and other military assets to Israel and the surrounding region. Following a severe attack by Hamas across the Israeli border, American warships and aircraft were promptly dispatched to the area.

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group is already positioned in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and an additional carrier is set to depart from Virginia on Friday, also aimed for the regional theater.

While Austin did not confirm whether the U.S. is conducting aerial surveillance in the region, it is known that the United States is offering intelligence and tactical advice to Israel, including counsel concerning hostage situations.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in Israel to personally extend diplomatic backing from the Biden administration, proceeded to Jordan on Friday for a meeting with King Abdullah II. They held talks but did not address the media post-meeting. Blinken later met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who resides in Amman, the capital of Jordan.

King Abdullah presides over a nation with a substantial Palestinian demographic and has a keen interest in their welfare, while Abbas governs the Palestinian Authority overseeing the West Bank.

Blinken’s subsequent itinerary includes flying to Doha for consultations with Qatari officials, who maintain influential relations with the Hamas leadership. Qatar has been involved in negotiations for a potential exchange of Palestinian prisoners in Israel for hostages taken by Hamas. He will also briefly stop in Bahrain and conclude the day in Saudi Arabia, an influential Arab nation that has been contemplating establishing diplomatic relations with Israel—a U.S.-facilitated endeavor that is currently paused.

Blinken is further scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates and Egypt over the weekend.

This report received contributions from Matthew Lee, a correspondent based in Amman, Jordan.

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More about U.S. Defense Secretary Israel Visit

• U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s Profile
• Israel-Hamas Conflict: An Overview
• U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s Diplomatic Efforts in the Middle East
• Iron Dome Anti-Missile System: How It Works
• USS Gerald R. Ford: Aircraft Carrier Specifications
• King Abdullah II of Jordan: Biography and Policies
• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas: Profile and Policies
• Diplomatic Relations between Qatar and Hamas
• Bahrain’s Role in Middle East Diplomacy
• Saudi Arabia’s Potential Normalization of Ties with Israel
• United Arab Emirates and Egypt: Blinken’s Upcoming Visits