Help with Israel’s offensive
USA sends specialists for urban warfare
October 24, 2023, 11:16 a.m
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An Israeli ground offensive is expected soon in the Middle East conflict. However, the US doubts whether the Israeli army is ready for this. A three-star general from the US special forces is now supposed to help.
According to media reports, the USA is supporting Israel in preparing a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip by sending highly decorated military officers. Among other things, the three-star general of the Marine Corps, James Glynn, is supposed to advise the Israeli armed forces with a view to an invasion of the densely populated area, reported the Axios portal. Israeli sources also confirmed Glynn’s support.
Glynn already fought in Iraq against the terrorist militia IS and was involved in the fierce fighting in Fallujah, one of the bloodiest and most controversial theaters of the US military during the Iraq War. He is considered a specialist in war on urban terrain. He is supposed to advise Israel on how to keep the number of civilian casualties low. If the troop deployment begins, Glynn will not be there “on the ground,” according to the Pentagon.
The US military is primarily expected to report on their experiences liberating the Iraqi city of Mosul. Here, the terrorists of the Islamic State, similar to Hamas in Gaza, had created a complex tunnel system under the city that was equipped with booby traps. Because of the tunnels, the US armed forces also feared that IS could use chemical weapons. The attack on the city was launched by allied military units and those of Iraq from multiple axes.
US military officials will ask the “hard questions.”
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also reiterated the importance of protecting civilians in a telephone conversation on Monday with his Israeli counterpart Joav Galant, according to Pentagon officials. However, the US government also has doubts as to whether the Israeli armed forces are ready for a ground offensive. Washington fears that Israel may miss its military objectives in the Gaza Strip, the newspaper reported, citing senior US government officials. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, US officials have been unable to identify an achievable plan of action in Israel to dismantle the Islamist organization.
Nothing is known about the other highly decorated US military officers. However, retired US Navy Rear Admiral John F. Kirby, the National Security Council’s strategic communications coordinator, confirmed that some American officers were in Israel. “There are a few relevant military officers with experience – the kind of experience that we believe is appropriate for the type of operations that Israel is conducting and will conduct in the future.” They would bring their own experiences there and ask “the difficult questions”.