Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told House lawmakers Tuesday that US forces helping to construct a floating humanitarian pier along the Gaza Strip’s coast may return fire if attacked from the Hamas-run Palestinian enclave — causing an uproar among both Democrats and Republicans.
Report informs via The New York Post that last month, President Biden ordered the Army to build the $320 million “Joint Logistics Over The Shore” jetty system, meant to ease the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza by sea as Israel’s war against Hamas nears the seven-month mark.
When asked by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) about the possibility of US forces coming under fire from land, Austin acknowledged to the House Armed Services Committee: “That’s possible, yes.”
“So if someone from land, and Gaza, shoots at our service members who are on the $320 million pier that we’re building, you’re telling me our service members can shoot back?” Gaetz asked.
“They have the right to return fire to protect themselves,” the Pentagon chief affirmed.