Participating in the NBC television channel’s “Meet the Press” program, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the US is ready to protect American forces and personnel in the Middle East if the conflicts between Israel and Palestine escalate.
Blinken said, “This is not what we want. We do not want tensions to escalate. We do not want our forces or personnel to come under fire, but if something like this happens, we are ready for it.” He made his assessment and underlined that no one wants to see a second or third front in the war.
Stating that they expect Iranian officials to increase their attacks against US forces and personnel in the region, Blinken stated that the necessary steps have been taken to ensure the security of these people and “to respond decisively when necessary.”
ADDITIONAL MILITARY ELEMENTS WERE DEPLOYED IN THE REGION
Stating that additional military elements, including 2 aircraft carrier task groups, were deployed to the region, Blinken said, “We did (this) not to provoke but to deter and to clearly show that we are there if anyone tries to do something.” said.
In the written statement made today by the US Department of State, it was stated that personnel who were not on critical duties were ordered to leave the US Embassy in Erbil and Consulate General in Erbil.
ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT
Hamas’s armed wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, launched a comprehensive attack on Israel on the morning of October 7, called the “Aqsa Flood”.
While thousands of rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel, Palestinian armed groups raided and seized the Beit Hanun-Erez Border Gate on the Gaza-Israel border.
Armed groups then entered the settlements within Israel from here, and the Israeli army launched an attack on the Gaza Strip with dozens of warplanes.
It was reported that 1,400 Israelis, including 306 soldiers, died and 5,132 Israelis were injured in the attacks carried out from Gaza.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that 4 thousand 651 people, including 1873 children and 1023 women, died and 14 thousand 245 people were injured in Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
It was stated that 90 Palestinians died in the attacks of Israeli forces and Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
18 journalists lost their lives in Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
In the clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah on the Israel-Lebanon border since October 8, 24 Hezbollah members and 4 civilians, including a journalist, lost their lives.
Three Israeli soldiers and one Israeli civilian lost their lives in the attacks carried out by Lebanon.
