Source: Defenseone.com – By Patrick Tucker – ‘Unprecedented’ Hamas attack on Israel shows ‘apparent quantum leap’ in capabilities, experts say
As Israel launches airstrikes in response, many expect the retaliation to have unprecedented aspects as well.
A day of intense terror attacks by Hamas that killed more than 200 Israelis united observers in shock—not just at the toll, but at the sophistication of the assaults. Meanwhile, Pentagon officials announced the dispatch of carrier strike group to region to support Israel.
Saturday’s attack was “unprecedented and an apparent quantum leap in Hamas’s capabilities,” said Steven A. Cook, a senior fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, or CFR.
Mark Hertling, a former commander of U.S. Army Forces Europe, tweeted, “Operation ‘Al Aqsa Storm’ isn’t the typical Hamas attack. Israel is facing attacks on multiple domains & fronts, from an opponent with allies & supporters (Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Iran, even Russia), during a symbolic time (50th anniversary of Yom Kippur). Much more complex.”
Bruce Hoffman, a senior fellow at CFR, tweeted, “Back in 2006, Hezbollah had an arsenal of ~15k missiles (the most sophisticated provided by Iran). Today, it has 10x that number. The danger of a two front war for Israel or perhaps 3-front if the West Bank erupts in violence, begins to assume existential dimensions.”
The surprise attack, which was apparently unforeseen by Israeli intelligence, began in the early morning hours of a Jewish holiday. Hamas forces fired multiple rockets into Israel, broke through barriers with explosives, made beach assaults with speedboats, and dispatched troops on pickup trucks, motorcycles, and even paragliders to infiltrate towns in southern Israel. (…)
On Sunday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the United States was moving forces to the region and would be sending munitions to Israel itself.
A carrier strike group—an aircraft carrier, a cruiser, and four destroyers—is heading to the eastern Mediterranean, Austin said.
“We have also taken steps to augment U.S. Air Force F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter aircraft squadrons in the region. The U.S. maintains ready forces globally to further reinforce this deterrence posture if required,” he said. “In addition, the United States government will be rapidly providing the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions. The first security assistance will begin moving today and arriving in the coming days.” (…)
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Photo of Hamas paragliders attacking Southern Israel from a video published on X >>> /twitter.com/Global_Mil_Info
