The U.S. military clarified on Thursday that its forces had no direct role in the Israeli operation that killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, though U.S. intelligence contributed to Israel’s understanding of Hamas leaders, particularly those involved in last year’s hostage-taking. Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, emphasized that this was an entirely Israeli-led operation, with no U.S. forces directly involved.
However, Ryder acknowledged that the U.S. provided intelligence related to hostage recovery and the tracking of key Hamas figures, which helped inform Israel’s actions. This came after President Joe Biden stated that he had ordered U.S. special operations and intelligence personnel to aid Israel in hunting down Sinwar and other militant leaders following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, assault on Israel.
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Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both highlighted that Sinwar’s death marked a significant moment in the conflict, potentially setting the stage for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas. Biden indicated a willingness to move toward peace, expressing hope that the war in Gaza would end soon. Despite this optimism, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the conflict will continue, even as both the U.S. and Israel see an opportunity to push for the release of hostages following Sinwar’s death.
Biden also announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would visit Israel soon to discuss post-war arrangements for Gaza. Although ceasefire negotiations have been slow and largely unsuccessful, U.S. officials see the removal of Sinwar as a potential turning point to restart talks and work toward a resolution.
