Both the US and Israel agreed on the shared objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah, the White House said following the US-Israel Strategic Consultative Group meeting on Thursday between US and Israeli senior defense and intelligence officials.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan led the US side with the Israeli side led by Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi.
A statement from the White House said the discussion began in a small group format to discuss the Iran attack and the “collective efforts to further enhance Israel’s defense through advanced capabilities as well as cooperation with a broad coalition of military partners.”
Sullivan briefs Israelis on Iran sanctions
Sullivan also briefed the Israeli side on new sanctions against Iran which the White House announced earlier on Thursday.
The White House said the two sides then “broadened to include interagency delegations to discuss Rafah.”
“US participants expressed concerns with various courses of action in Rafah, and Israeli participants agreed to take these concerns into account and to have further follow up discussions between experts, overseen by the SCG,” the White House said.
The White House said the participants will meet again soon, but did not specify when.
As the meeting took place, the State Department and Pentagon both said the administration would not give the green light on any Rafah plan that did not take into account the over one million people seeking refuge there.
This holds true regardless of how – or if – Israel decides to respond to Iran for its attack, a Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department said Thursday.
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