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US tells Israel aircraft carriers can’t ensure protection from Iran forever — TV

Notably, Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to dismiss Gallat in March 2023 because of the latter’s criticism of judicial reform

TEL AVIV, September 6. /TASS/. The US administration has made it clear to the Israeli leadership that US aircraft carriers will not be able to remain in the region forever to monitor Iran’s activities, Israel’s Channel 13 reports.

According to the broadcaster, the US also opposes "the [potential] dismissal of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant," despite his conflict with the country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The media outlet notes that the message was "polite but clear." As for the risk of an Iranian attack and a large-scale war in the region, the US said that the degree of escalation needed to be reduced at some point because "aircraft carriers will not be able to remain in the region forever."

Notably, Netanyahu announced plans to dismiss Gallat in March 2023 because of the latter’s criticism of judicial reform. However, the prime minister changed his mind following mass protests and a rise in tensions in the region. The Times of Israel newspaper reported that Netanyahu planned to release Gallant from his duties in the summer of 2024 but abandoned the idea after an escalation of violence on the border with Lebanon.

In late August, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin extended the presence of two US aircraft-carrier strike groups in the Middle East following a phone conversation with Gallant.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. In response, Israel launched a military operation in the Palestinian enclave to destroy Hamas military and political wings and free all hostages.