Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the United States is sending additional troops to the US Central Command region, which covers the Middle East and parts of Africa, Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said on Tuesday (local time).

Ryder said that these troops will provide capabilities, explosive ordnance disposal, communications and other support enablers for forces already in the region. He said that additional US troops are not going to Israel.

While addressing a press briefing on Tuesday (local time), he said, “I can announce the decision to deploy an additional 300 troops to the US Central Command region from home stations in the continental United States. These additional troops will provide capabilities, explosive ordnance disposal, communications and other support enablers for forces already in the region.”

The region monitored by the US Central Command encompasses 20 countries, including Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the countries of the Arabian Peninsula and northern Red Sea, and the five republics of Central Asia.

“Please note that we will not discuss specific deployment locations for these forces, but I can confirm they are not going to Israel and that they are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster US force protection capabilities,” he added.

Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said that US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, during his remarks at the Senate testimony, said the US will continue to provide critical security assistance to Israel.

He said that Austin said that the focus of the US is on providing air defence capabilities, precision-guided munitions and more interceptors for the Iron Dome system.

According to Ryder, Austin said that the US is coordinating closely with the Israelis to help secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas, including American citizens.

Ryder said that Austin highlighted that the US immediately provided military advisors to offer best practises for integrating hostage recovery into Israel’s operations.

Lloyd Austin said that the US has strengthened its force posture across the region to deter any state or nonstate actors from escalating this crisis beyond Gaza, according to Patrick Ryder.

While addressing the press briefing, Ryder said Austin continues to remain in close contact with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant by phone and received updates regarding Israel’s operations in Gaza.
Ryder said, “The secretary commended the Israel Defense Forces’ commitment to hostage recovery” and re-emphasized the importance of conducting operations in accordance with the law of war. He also stressed the imperative to protect innocent civilians and allow unfettered humanitarian aid into Gaza.

US President Joe Biden is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit in San Francisco in November for “constructive” talks, the White House said Tuesday.

The comments came days after China’s foreign minister made a rare visit to Washington to pave the way for Xi to meet Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

China has not yet confirmed that Xi will come.

“We’re aiming to have a constructive conversation, meeting between the leaders in San Francisco in November,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said of the long-awaited talks.

“That’s what’s going to happen next month in November. We’re having a constructive conversation in San Francisco. I think I just confirmed it,” she added.

A senior US administration official told AFP: “There is an agreement in principle to meet in San Francisco in November. We are still working through important details needed to finalize those plans.”

Biden and Xi have had no contact since a meeting in Bali in November 2022.

Relations have been tense for years between the world’s top two economies as they vie for influence in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, and as Beijing boosts cooperation with Russia in a bid to reduce US dominance.

After Beijing’s top diplomat Wang Yi met senior US officials last week, the White House said that the two sides were “working together towards a meeting.”

But the Chinese foreign minister said on Saturday that the road to talks was still “not smooth.”

Wang told a Washington event hosted by the Aspen Strategy Group that “both sides hope to stabilize and improve bilateral relations as soon as possible and agreed to work together toward a San Francisco summit between the two heads of state,” state news agency Xinhua reported.

“The path to San Francisco is not smooth and cannot be left to ‘autopilot’,” Wang warned, according to Xinhua.

The two sides must “eliminate interference, overcome obstacles, enhance consensus and accumulate results,” he said.

The Israel Defence Forces on Tuesday claimed that it killed the commander of Hamas’s Central Jabaliya Battalion, Ibrahim Biari, in a strike on the Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, CNN reported.

However, Hamas denied the presence of one of its leaders in the camp, spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement.

IDF noted that Biari was one of the leaders responsible for sending ‘Nukbha’ terrorist operatives to Israel to conduct a terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, according to a CNN report.

Earlier, the IDF spokesperson Lt Colonel Richard Hecht said that the IDF was targeting “a very senior Hamas commander” in the area around the camp.

In a statement, the IDF said, “A short while ago, IDF fighter jets, acting on ISA intelligence, killed Ibrahim Biari, the Commander of Hamas’ Central Jabaliya Battalion. Biari was one of the leaders responsible for sending ‘Nukbha’ terrorist operatives to Israel to carry out the murderous terror attack on October 7th. Numerous Hamas terrorists were hit in the strike.”

The IDF said Ibrahim Biari oversaw all military operations in the northern Gaza Strip since it started its ground operation. He was also involved in multiple attacks on Israel going back decades. The IDF said it had carried out a wide-scale strike on terrorists and terror infrastructure belonging to the Central Jabalya Battalion, according to CNN report.

IDF in its strike damaged Hamas’ command and control and its ability to direct military activity against IDF soldiers in Gaza. It said that a “large number of terrorists” were killed in the strike, which resulted in the collapse of the underground infrastructure that was being used by Hamas.

Taking to X, the IDF said, “Over the past day, IDF troops operated in a Hamas terrorist stronghold in Jabaliya, northern Gaza. The stronghold was used for training and execution of terrorism activities. During the ground activity, the troops eliminated approximately 50 terrorists, as well as destroyed entrances to terrorist tunnels and weapons.”

At least 50 people were killed in the strike and subsequent collapse, The Times of Israel reported, citing Palestinian reports. The IDF reiterated its call on the residents of the area to move south for their safety, according to the report.

On Tuesday, Israel Defence Forces in a statement on X said another barrage of rockets just launched at Tel Aviv and central Israel.

Meanwhile, Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the fighting in the Gaza Strip is becoming “more complex” as soldiers operate deeper into the region, The Times of Israel reported.

He said, “This is complex hand-to-hand combat. In the fierce battles that took place today, we lost troops.” Hagari said two Israeli soldiers were killed on Tuesday as troops worked to capture a Hamas stronghold in Jabaliya, according to The Times of Israel report.

Speaking on an intercepted missile and several drones launched from Yemen towards Israel on Tuesday, he said, “There are many elements in the region that are under Iranian orders such as the Houthis.” He noted that they try to challenge Israel and divert their attention away from the war in Gaza.

Hagari further said, “We remain focused on the fighting in Gaza.” He said that the IDF “will know how to respond, at the time and place of our choosing.”