US sends top military officials to Israel to help war-struck country prepare for ground operation in Gaza

A few top-ranking US military officials have been sent to Israel to advise its military on Gaza ground operations, the White House has confirmed. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said during a White House briefing, “What I can tell you is that there are a few relevant military officers with the kinds of experience that we believe is appropriate to the sorts of operations that Israel is conducting and may conduct in the future to go over there to share some perspectives from their own experience and to ask the hard questions.” According to a report by Axios, Marine Lt. Gen. James Glynn is among the handful of senior officials sent to Israel by US President Joe Biden owing to Glynn’s involvement in Marine special operations countering Daesh/ISIS in Iraq. Glynn will also advise the Israeli military on how to mitigate civilian casualties in urban warfare. The senior officials have been sent to Israel as the country prepares for a ground operation in Gaza. The Israel-Hamas war has entered its 18th day. Speaking on the possible Israeli ground invasion, Israel’s Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said that forces are “very well prepared” for an offensive in the Gaza Strip. “The Southern Command has quality operation plans. There are tactical, operative, strategic considerations that have provided additional time, and troops who have more time are better prepared, and that is what we are doing now,” the IDF Chief of General Staff said. Meanwhile, the US is pressing Israel to delay its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip to allow time for the release of hostages and shipments of aid into Gaza, according to the New York Times.