President Joe Biden was on the verge of implementing severe measures against Israel in April 2024 following a military drone strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in the Gaza Strip, according to former top Middle East adviser Brett McGurk. Speaking in a television interview, McGurk revealed that cutting off American weapons shipments to Israel was actively considered by the administration. However, U.S. intelligence indicating that Iran was preparing an unprecedented aerial attack on Israel ultimately shifted the administration’s focus and prevented those actions from moving forward. McGurk described Biden as deeply frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the management of the conflict in Gaza. He noted that without the impending missile threat requiring immediate military coordination and defense deployment, the U.S. likely would have pursued harsh policy shifts. The thwarted Iranian assault involved a massive barrage of ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles timed to land simultaneously. A coalition involving the United States, alongside Arab and European partners, successfully protected Israel from the barrage. In his memoir titled “Brink,” McGurk also highlighted a tense dialogue between Biden and Netanyahu during that period, where the U.S. leader cautioned that military supply lines could be cut. McGurk’s account sheds light on the internal friction and diplomatic hurdles faced by the White House throughout the Gaza war, regional escalations involving Iran, and ongoing efforts to negotiate a lasting ceasefire and hostage release.
Source: cbsnews.com
