Report: US pressuring Israel to move to a ‘more precise operation’ in Gaza

US President Joe Biden asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to move to a “more precise operation” in the war on Gaza, focused on assassinating Hamas leaders and destroying the Palestinian resistance’s tunnels, the New York Times reported yesterday.

According to the paper, in a phone call with Netanyahu, Biden asked him to “refrain from large-scale bombings, and move to a phase that includes raids by special forces targeting Hamas leaders and tunnels.”

The American paper described the conversation between Biden and Netanyahu as “charged”.

A similar message was also conveyed to Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, during his visit to Washington last week.

Dermer has reportedly informed American officials that Israel would soon move to the “more precise stage”, and said: “The first signs of change in Israeli operations will appear on the ground when the army forces end their operations in the northern Gaza Strip and begin withdrawing a large number of soldiers from there.”

He did not specify a precise timeline for this.

US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, is scheduled to visit Israel on Thursday, where he is expected to hold discussions with Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and the war cabinet.

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