Israel seems to have replaced Gaza invasion with small incursions

Israel’s apparent decision to hold off on a full-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip and instead conduct more limited ground incursions, at least initially, aligns with suggestions that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made to his Israeli counterparts in recent days, the New York Times quoted American officials as saying.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said on Saturday evening that Israeli forces had entered the Gaza Strip on Friday to begin “the second stage of the war,” though he did not describe the move as an invasion. Military officials said earlier on Saturday that Israeli troops had pushed into the northern part of the enclave and remained there on Saturday evening.

So far, the incursions into Gaza by Israeli ground forces are smaller and more narrowly focused than what Israeli military officials initially described to Austin and other top U.S. military officials, American officials told the New York Times.

The Israelis improved and refined their plan after a concerted effort by Austin and other officials, a U.S. official said. However, Biden administration officials have insisted that the United States had not told Israel what to do and still supports a ground invasion.