In the ongoing war against Hamas, Israel is facing significant pressure to clearly establish milestones for this military operation. Concerns have arisen over the current transition from a heavy ground and air-intense operation to a more focused, counterinsurgency-type operation.
U.S Secretary Austin is expected to aid Israel in defining reasonable objectives and corresponding milestones for this operation. The operating strategies for this phase of the conflict will need to be congruent with any objectives that Israel and its American allies establish together.
There is considerable speculation that the US may link further aid and munitions to Israel with certain conditions. Publicly, there is no indication that Israel's aid, especially military assistance, is bound by any set conditions. However, politically, the premise of conditions is gaining traction and could potentially become a part of future aid packages.
This development could significantly alter the dynamic of Israeli-U.S. relations. It is possible that Secretary Austin may communicate to Israel privately that their ongoing military operations cannot be supported indefinitely by the U.S. without certain conditions.
Another crucial factor in this conflict is the intricate network of tunnels beneath Gaza. Recently, the biggest Hamas tunnel was discovered in northern Gaza by the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). The advanced engineering of these tunnels presents Israel with a new set of challenges, both in terms of their scale and the possibility of them being used to hide hostages.
The discovery of these tunnels has thrown light on the complexity of Hamas's capabilities and underscores the issue that Israel faces in its attempts to free hostages. The majority of the tunnels are likely to be less sophisticated, but their confined spaces can make them difficult to navigate and penetrate.
As the conflict continues, the necessity for clearly defined objectives, as well as the Israeli military’s response to the sophisticated tunnel systems, will play a significant role in the future of Israeli-American relations and the prospects for peace in the region.
