In a national address on Wednesday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that a ground invasion of Gaza remains part of Israel's strategic plans, with a specific time frame established, though he did not reveal that time frame.
This update follows the Biden administration's advising Israel earlier this week to put a temporary hold on its ground invasion, as reported by the New York Times. The purpose of this advice was to grant the U.S. additional time to complete hostage negotiations, deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians, and ensure troops are better prepared to counter potential attacks from Iran-backed groups as Israel advances into Gaza.
“What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region in the very near term, coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran,” said Ryder. “We always reserve the right to defend ourselves, and we will never hesitate to take action when needed to protect our forces and our interests overseas.”