The United States evacuated approximately 120 officials of the Department of Defense from Israel one day after President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Your Content has learned.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby announced the evacuation in a Pentagon press briefing on Thursday, in which he said the U.S. personnel were in Israel planning for an event. The U.S. personnel were already scheduled to leave this week, but their departure was accelerated. The U.S. personnel were flown to Germany on a C-17.
120 U.S. Department of Defense officials were evacuated from Israel on Thursday amid ongoing rocket attacks launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, American Military News was first to report.
“We made this decision to remove these individuals in coordination with our Israeli counterparts of course,” Kirby said Thursday, American Military News reported.
“These people from throughout the Department were in Israel for a routine planning event as part of the normal exercise cycle in support of longstanding bilateral agreements with Israel.”
As Your Content readers know, President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday to reassure the Israeli people the Biden Administration will “maintain the close consultation between their teams” to wipe out any terrorist seen prowling around.
“President Biden spoke today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He condemned the rocket attacks by Hamas and other terrorist groups, including against Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. He conveyed his unwavering support for Israel’s security and for Israel’s legitimate right to defend itself and its people, while protecting civilians,” the White House said in a statement Wednesday.
“He also conveyed the United States’ encouragement of a pathway toward restoring a sustainable calm. He shared his conviction that Jerusalem, a city of such importance to people of faith from around the world, must be a place of peace. He updated the Prime Minister on the United States’ diplomatic engagement with regional countries, including Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar, as well as with Palestinian officials.
“The two leaders agreed to maintain the close consultation between their teams, which has included consistent engagement by their respective foreign ministers, defense ministers, chiefs of defense, and national security advisors, and to stay in touch personally in the days ahead.”