Israel vs Hamas: Amid upsurge in violence, US begins preparing for mass evacuation if war escalates

With an upsurge in violence across the West Bank, the Biden administration has reportedly begun readying plans for mass evacuations of hundreds of thousands of American citizens from the Middle East.

As per a report by the Washington Post, four officials familiar with the US government’s contingency planning said that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas has stoked fears of broader escalation.

The officials stated that the Americans living in Israel and neighbouring Lebanon were of distinct concern, further underlining that the mass evacuation was a 'worst-case scenario' and that the government is churning out possible solutions to the problem that are seen as more likely.

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However, one of the officials said, it “would be irresponsible not to have a plan for everything.”

The Israeli defence forces, which have been backed by US military aid, have been prepping for the much-anticipated ground offensive against Hamas militants who took the world by surprise after they carried out an unprecedented attack against Israel from Gaza on Oct 7.

Complicated logistics

The officials said that even though the United States was fully backing its staunch ally Israel, it was deeply alarmed by the likelihood of an escalation.

They further said that in recent days, having to abruptly relocate a large number of people has made the US ponder over the process' complicated logistics.

According to State Department estimates, there were approximately 600,000 US citizens in Israel and another 86,000 in Lebanon when Hamas attacked.

Lebanon, a major concern

The report said that Washington's major concern, Lebanon, was mainly due to the presence of Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that has exercised control in the country since 1992.

The terror group has long accepted training and weapons from Iran, raising concerns that it could launch an offensive against Israel from the north, resulting in a two-front war that could stretch Israeli forces.

“This has become a real issue,” the Washington Post quoted one official as saying. “The administration is very, very, very worried that this thing is going to get out of hand.”

The report said that the Biden administration was also concerned about the demonstrations being held across the Arab world that, as per the top officials, have put the US personnel and citizens at the highest risk.

(With inputs from agencies)

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