The U.S. condemnation of the Hamas terror attack on Israel is being backed by pledges to make sure the Israeli military has what it needs to repel the assault and defend its people.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a phone call Saturday with Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant promised “his ironclad support” for the Israeli Defense Forces, or IDF, according to a Pentagon readout.
“Our commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself remains unwavering,” Austin said in a separate statement. “Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism.”
U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces and relationships with U.S. allies across the Middle East, likewise said it was in contact with its Israeli counterpart and was “closely tracking the situation surrounding the appalling terrorist attack.”
What shape the U.S. support will take, though, is unclear.
The U.S. maintains a weapons and ammunition stockpile in Israel and has made its contents available to Israel on at least two occasions.
In 2006, the U.S. granted Israel access to precision guided munitions during its war with Hezbollah. And in 2014, the U.S. gave Israel access to tank rounds and other ammunition to support operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
U.S. officials have declined to say, however, whether using the stockpile will be an option this time around.
“We will continue close consultations with the IDF regarding any requests for support they may have,” according to a U.S. military official, speaking to VOA on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks. “Our focus remains on consulting with Israel and ensuring they have the support they need as a result of this abhorrent terrorist attack by Hamas.”
There also are concerns about the stockpile itself. The U.S. pulled 300,000 artillery shells from the stockpile late last year and early this year to give to Ukraine.
And the types of armaments and equipment in the stockpile may not be of immediate use in pushing back Hamas fighters.
“My initial impression is that the things that Israel needs most right now are not in there,” said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
“There have been concerns about what’s actually in that stockpile, whether it’s well maintained, whether it’s the right weapons and equipment, and how frequently we practice drying that equipment out,” he noted.
In addition, the U.S. maintains some military personnel in Israel, and U.S. forces periodically conduct exercises with Israeli troops — most recently this past July.
The U.S. military official said all U.S. personnel “are safe and accounted for,” without elaborating on how many are currently in the country.
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