Wednesday Briefing: U.S. Warns it May Cut Israel’s Military Aid

The United States has sent a letter to Israel warning that the country could lose military aid if it did not increase the flow of humanitarian supplies into Gaza within the next 30 days.

American law forbids giving military aid to any country found to be blocking the delivery of U.S.-provided humanitarian supplies. Even as the U.S. has pushed Israel to allow more food and other aid into Gaza, it has continued to send military supplies to Israel, most recently with an advanced air defense system and troops to operate it.

U.S. and international officials have warned in recent weeks that conditions are deteriorating further in Gaza, particularly in the north. A State Department spokesman said that the level of humanitarian aid into Gaza last month was the lowest it had been at any time since the Oct. 7 attacks.

Details: The letter was sent to Israel’s minister of defense, Yoav Gallant, and minister of strategic affairs, Ron Dermer, and was signed by both Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Israel’s retaliation: The government has told the Biden administration that it will avoid striking Iran’s nuclear enrichment and oil production sites when it responds to Tehran’s recent missile attack.