Espreso. Global

Joe Biden to visit Israel and Jordan on October 18

17 October, 2023 Tuesday
13:08

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed that U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Israel and Jordan on Wednesday, October 18

client/title.list_title

CNN reports.

Blinken announced the visit at the end of a more than seven-hour meeting with Israel's military cabinet. The Secretary of State's latest stop in Israel is part of his seven-nation tour of the Middle East, as Israel appears poised for a ground invasion of Gaza and the conflict threatens to spread to other parts of the region.

During his visit to Israel, Biden “will hear from Israel how it will conduct its operations in a way that minimizes civilian casualties and enables humanitarian assistance to flow to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not benefit Hamas,” Blinken said.

According to Blinken, during his visit on Wednesday, Biden will "reaffirm the United States' solidarity with Israel and our ironclad commitment to its security."

"President Biden will again make clear, as he's done unequivocally since the Hamas slaughter of more than 1,400 people, including at least 30 Americans, that Israel has the right and indeed the duty to defend its people from Hamas and other terrorists and to prevent future attacks," Blinken said.

The president "will continue to coordinate closely with our Israeli partners to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas, including men, women, small children, Holocaust survivors, and American citizens," Blinken said.

In addition to his visit to Israel on Wednesday, the president will also travel to Jordan, the United States' closest and crucial ally. There, he will meet with a group of Middle East leaders, including King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, told reporters that Biden's visit to Jordan will focus on humanitarian assistance amid the deepening crisis.

According to Kirby, the entire trip will take place “over the course of a single day.”

The day before, Biden said that Israel must destroy the Hamas terrorist group, but the Palestinian state and government must be preserved.

 The war in Israel

On the morning of Saturday, October 7, 2023, the Palestinian armed groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched a massive air and land attack on the state of Israel in several places. The head of the Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, said that his militants had launched the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. According to him, these actions are intended to protect the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

The Palestinians launched 2,000 to 3,000 missiles at Israel and simultaneously seized 7 communities in the south.

In response, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced the mobilization of reservists and the launch of the Iron Swords counterterrorism operation. For the first time in 50 years, the government introduced martial law in the country

The IDF actively used aviation to strike Palestinian command posts. It has also begun clearing Hamas-occupied communities.

In addition, there is a great threat that the Shiite Hezbollah could attack Israel from the north, as its main partner and supplier, the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), has called on jihadists to "liberate Jerusalem."

On the morning of October 8, the Saudi television channel Al Arabiya published the losses of both Palestinians and Israelis during the first day of the renewed military conflict. According to the channel, Israel lost 300 people killed and at least 1,600 wounded. The number of casualties from the Palestinian-populated Gaza Strip is 232 killed and 1,627 wounded. 

On October 8, Israeli troops claimed that Lebanon had attacked their territory, so the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) attacked in response. In particular, Israeli aviation struck a complex belonging to the head of Hamas' intelligence.

Militants of the Lebanese military-political organization Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions on the border with the disputed Golan Heights and supported Hamas in its operation against Israel.

Due to the situation in the Middle East, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting. However, no action or decisions were taken after it. At the same time, the UK government stated that it would support Israel in its fight against terrorists and was ready to provide it with all necessary assistance.

On the afternoon of October 9, the Israeli army regained control of all areas on the border with the Gaza Strip. At this, it is possible that there are still Hamas militants on Israeli territory.

The leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy issued a joint statement expressing their united support for Israel and condemning Hamas' actions.

On Thursday, October 12, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

At the same time, after almost a week of IDF strikes on the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian militants Hamas are based, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that this was only the beginning.

On the morning of Sunday, October 15, the pro-Iranian Shiite group from Lebanon, Hezbollah, launched a rocket attack on the IDF base of Al-Raheb on the Israeli-Lebanese border.

For the first time in history, an entire city has been evacuated in Israel. Deputy Mayor Elad Kalimi said that almost two-thirds of the population had already left the city, and several thousand more would do so in the near future.

On October 17, local media reported that humanitarian aid convoys were moving from Egypt to the border with Gaza.

Tags:
Read also:
  • News
2025, Wednesday
5 February
13:50
OPINION
Does Trump have plan?
13:29
IAEA halts mission rotation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant over Russian security risks
13:12
Putin only wants Ukraine’s next president to be anti-West — Zelenskyy
13:00
Updated
Russian ballistic missile strike on Ukraine’s Izyum kills 5, injures 59
12:56
Ukraine's Defense Ministry deploys robotic units in military brigades
12:48
Updated
Ukrainian forces target oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region, fire breaks out
12:37
Exclusive
Ukraine targets 30 Russian facilities in January — military expert Zgurets
12:15
OPINION
Exchanging Ukraine’s rare earth metals for U.S. military aid is solid deal. Column by Vitaly Portnikov
11:54
Russian conscription fails to offset battlefield losses — ISW
11:32
Review
Ukraine’s military reform: key goals, objectives. Serhiy Zgurets’ column
11:09
Ukrainian forces repel 35 Russian attacks near Pokrovsk, 12 in Kursk region on Feb. 4
10:31
Exclusive
Russia likely increases Shahed drone warhead to 90kg — Kharkiv official
10:13
Over 45,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in war with Russia — Zelenskyy
09:55
Russia loses 1,140 soldiers, 52 artillery systems, 9 tanks in one day of war in Ukraine
2025, Tuesday
4 February
21:45
Gimli robotic complex joins Ukraine's army, aiding in evacuation and resupply
21:30
Exclusive
When could Ukraine hold elections after the war? Lawyer explains
21:12
Ryanair plans to resume flights to Lviv, Kyiv 4-6 weeks after war ends
20:57
Black Sea tankers wreck: IMO holds Russia responsible
20:40
"Don't let them drain resources": military commander reacts to Trump
20:23
Polish Military Institute of Armament Technology, Ukrainian NAUDI agree to cooperate
20:07
Exclusive
USAID funding freeze: Expert Riabtsev on potential risks for Ukraine’s energy sector
19:51
Exclusive
Trump's proposal to get rare metals from Ukraine is political move – analyst
19:35
"We are open to U.S. investments": Zelenskyy responds to Trump's statement on rare earth elements
19:08
Ukraine to introduce mandatory psychological aid training for doctors – First Lady
18:50
Exclusive
Ukrainian forces may have to withdraw from Chasiv Yar – military analyst
18:33
Von der Leyen urges EU to find "most creative way" to use Russian assets for Ukraine
18:15
Exclusive
Western weapons can now strike deep into Russia, but new problem emerges
17:54
U.S., Ukraine did not discuss elections before 2025 — Ambassador Markarova
17:34
Updated
"The situation is critical": IAEA chief visits key substations vital for Ukraine's nuclear power plants
17:14
Russian national hockey team banned from 2026 World Championship
16:55
Ukraine’s HIV response at risk amid U.S. aid freeze
16:33
Support for military aid to Ukraine declines in Poland
16:15
Russia equips Gerbera foam drones with warheads
15:56
Ukraine’s parliament approves defense loan agreement with UK
15:32
Ukrainian troops release GoPro footage of repelling Russian assault, eliminating two squads
15:14
OPINION
Ukraine’s power sector withstands winter challenges, but risks remain
14:55
Ukraine’s embassy facilitates meetings between Zelenskyy, Trump teams — Ambassador
14:33
Hopes for Russian democracy met harsh reality – Ex-MP Kendzior on Ukrainian diaspora in 1990s
13:57
Review
Russian advance slows down, how Ukrainian Armed Forces approaches change. Serhiy Zgurets' column
13:35
U.S. firefighters document impact of Russian strikes in Ukraine, set to release second film
More news