In the context of the efforts and pressures the U.S. administration has been exerting recently to persuade Israel to reduce civilian casualties in Gaza, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin offered advice to Israel. During the annual Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, Austin recalled his previous experience in Iraq and his role in leading the international coalition against ISIS.
The U.S. Secretary emphasized that he "learned a thing or two about urban warfare during the long months he spent fighting in Iraq while leading the coalition campaign to defeat ISIS." He explained that during that campaign, the coalition opened humanitarian corridors for civilians to use for evacuation even during tough and intense battles.
Austin compared the situation of Hamas fighters to that of ISIS members, who were also, in his words, "rooted and deeply embedded in urban areas," according to reports from American media.
He also asserted that urging Israeli leaders to protect civilians is not just a "moral responsibility," but a strategic necessity as well. He stated: "You cannot win an urban war without protecting civilians. If you push them into the enemy's arms, you will trade tactical victory for strategic defeat," referring to the risk of pushing Gaza's population closer to Hamas.
