Shafaq News/ On Monday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrives in Tel Aviv, reiterating Washighton's unwavering commitment to Israel.

Austin will meet Israeli officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.  

The US top official said the visit is "to reiterate America's ironclad commitment to Israel, discuss IDF ops to dismantle Hamas, and underscore the need to protect civilians from harm and enable the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza." 

Austin's visit follows national security adviser Jake Sullivan's recent trip to Tel Aviv. It comes just days after President Biden made direct comments urging Israel to take additional measures to safeguard civilians in Gaza. 

According to US media outlets, Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown are expected to press Israeli leaders to transition to a new phase of the war after weeks of heavy bombardment and a ground offensive that killed about 19,000 Palestinians and destroyed more than half of Gaza. 

About 1.9 million Palestinians — nearly 85% of Gaza's population — have also been displaced.