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<ul class="summary-list"><li>AOC during a recent Instagram Q&amp;A asked voters why they backed her candidacy and Trump's reelection.</li><li>The responses were candid, and many pointed to the economy and the conflict in Gaza.</li></ul>Similar to Democrats across the country reflecting on Vice President Kamala Harris' election loss, New York Rep. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aoc-democratic-national-convention-speech-political-evolution-progressives-mainstream-2024-8">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a> has spent time thinking about the ramifications of President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Ocasio-Cortez, a strong backer of Harris and one of the most progressive voices in the US House of Representatives, took to Instagram this past weekend where <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/SJohnson99/status/1855782107118735587/video/1">she argued that "most people" aren't ready</a> for the president-elect in office again. During her conversation, she highlighted Trump's pledge to initiate <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-mass-deportation-thomas-homan-illegal-immigration-border-czar-ice-2024-11">mass deportations</a> as well as his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-tariffs-threats-world-ceos-thoughts-trade-2024-11">tariff threats</a>. Then Ocasio-Cortez opened up the floor to Instagram users, asking for responses from people who backed her reelection in New York's 14th Congressional District and Trump's candidacy or who backed Trump and downballot Democrats in other states. Many of the responses pointed to two key issues: the economy and the conflict in Gaza. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-blue-wall-democrats-suburban-voters-unions-2024-11">Harris crafted an economic message</a> that she believed would differentiate herself from President Joe Biden, who stepped aside as the presumptive Democratic nominee in July. And the vice president sought to reassure voters concerned over the Israel-Hamas war and the plight of Palestinians that she would work to secure peace in the region as president. But she wasn't able to counter Trump's electoral performance. A slew of Instagram users said they registered their general frustration by not supporting Harris. The responses to Ocasio-Cortez included: <ul><li>"It's real simple… Trump and you care for the working class"</li><li>"Trump is going to get us the money and lets men have a voice. You're brilliant and have amazing passion!"</li><li>"I feel like Trump and you are both real."</li><li>"I know people that did this and it was bc of Gaza."</li><li>"You are focused on the real issues people care about. Similar to Trump populism in some ways."</li><li>"Because of Gaza"</li><li>"I voted Trump and dems because he reached out to Muslims"</li></ul>Democrats struggled to rally core parts of their longtime base — which included younger Black men and Latino voters — which benefited Trump. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-margins-democratic-states-harris-underperform-2024-11">The president-elect made major inroads</a>, notably in several Democratic-heavy states, as many voters remained frustrated over the direction of the country. Harris argued that her presidency would have tackled of some of the biggest economic and foreign policy challenges that the country faced, but in the end she wasn't able to recreate Biden's 2020 coalition. Correction: November 12, 2024 — An earlier version of this story overstated what is known about the people who responded to Rep. <keyword id="22445548" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alexandria-Ocasio-Cortez" source="keywords">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</keyword> on Instagram. It's unclear whether the respondents voted.

AOC asked voters why they backed her candidacy and Trump's reelection. Instagram users pointed to the economy and Gaza.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Donald Trump said Gaza could be rebuilt into one of the most beautiful places in the world.</li><li>There is still not end in sight to the Israel-Gaza war that has now stretched on for a year.</li></ul>Former President Donald Trump says the Palestinian people have not done a good job of utilizing their ocean-front views and that if Gaza is rebuilt the right way, it could become "one of the best places in the world.""I've said it for years, when I've been there and it's rough, it's a rough place before all of the attacks and back and forth, what's happened over the last couple years. I said, 'Wow, look at this.' I mean, they have the back of a plant facing the ocean, you know," Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Monday. "They'd have, there was no ocean as far as that was concerned. They never took advantage of it. You know, as a developer, it could be the most beautiful place – the weather, the water, the whole thing, the climate."Hewitt had asked Trump to talk about Gaza as a developer and whether it could be built into a destination rivaling a locale like Monaco, the glittering state on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.Trump was addressing the future of Gaza on the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/middle-east-israel-iran-lebanon-high-alert-october-anniversary-attacks-2024-10">first anniversary </a>of the October 7 terrorist attacks, where Hamas militants killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel. Israel responded by launching air strikes and a ground invasion of Gaza. Roughly 42,000 people have been killed in Gaza.The former president isn't the only one in his family who has thoughts about Gaza's future. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jared-kushner-lauds-valuable-gaza-real-estate-opportunities-post-war-2024-3">Jared Kushner</a>, Trump's son-in-law and a former top White House official, previously said Israel should move civilians out of the area while it builds up Gaza."Gaza's waterfront property, it could be very valuable, if people would focus on building up livelihoods," Kushner told a Harvard-affiliated program in February. "If you think about all the money that's gone into this tunnel network and into all the munitions, if that would have gone into education or innovation, what could have been done?"President Joe Biden and other world leaders have tried to pressure the two sides to agree to a ceasefire, but thus far diplomacy has failed to bring an end to the conflict. Approaching the anniversary, Israel stepped up strikes on Lebanon in the wake of an Iranian rocket attack. Trump has claimed the conflict would have never occurred under his watch but hasn't offered many details on how he would secure an end to the war.Even as the conflict continues, international voices have tried to plot a path forward for Gaza's future. Last December, a mixture of consultants and other leaders met in London to propose future potential developments for the area, including a soccer stadium, The New York Times reported.Part of the issue is it remains uncertain who will control the area. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly opposed the creation of an independent Palestinian state and has argued that Israel needs to maintain a military presence in Gaza to prevent Hamas from launching future attacks.Gazans likely have much more practical considerations than building oceanfront property. Even before the current conflict, more than half of its population lived in poverty. A UN official said in May that rebuilding could cost $50 billion. Experts told Bloomberg that the cost <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-gaza-who-will-pay-to-rebuild/">could balloon to $80 billion</a>, making it clear that whenever the conflict ends, Gaza will need a post-war plan resembling the scope of the Marshall Plan that rebuilt Europe after WWII.

Trump has thoughts on how to make Gaza 'the most beautiful place'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said US adversaries want to dismantle the world order.</li><li>The bank chief said the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza conflicts could escalate into World War III.</li></ul>Jamie Dimon says <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americas-rivals-pressure-same-time-russia-china-iran-north-korea-2024-9">US adversaries</a> want to topple the world order, and the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts could explode into a new world war.China and Russia are "clearly talking about dismantling the system" established by Western nations after World War II, and "the risk of this is extraordinary," the JPMorgan CEO said at the Institute for International Finance's annual meeting in Washington, DC on Thursday. Business Insider obtained a recording of his comments.Dimon emphasized the risk that global warfare could break out, citing his historical knowledge and a recent Washington Post article that said, "World War III has already begun.""You already have battles on the ground being coordinated in multiple countries," the billionaire banker said. The fighting could diminish and peace deals might be struck, but "mistakes happen," he said."So, to me, we shouldn't be naive," Dimon said. "We can't take the chance this will resolve itself. We have to make sure that we are involved in doing the right things to get it resolved properly for the sake of the free democratic Western world for the next 100 years."Dimon underlined the difficulty of preparing for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/global-economy-israel-iran-war-oil-growth-inflation-hurricane-china-2024-10">what might lie ahead</a>. "We run scenarios that would shock you. I don't even want to mention them."The bank chief pointed to Russian President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine as a particularly grave threat."We have to be quite clear that we can't have a bad outcome there," he said. "We've never had a situation where a man is threatening nuclear blackmail," adding: "If that doesn't scare you, it should."Dimon also said the spread of nuclear weapons technology was the "biggest risk mankind faces." He said that if Iran secures a nuclear bomb then many other countries will too, "and then folks, it's just a matter of time before these things are going off in major cities around the world."Dimon has been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/ray-dalio-jamie-dimon-billionaire-investors-world-war-iii-outlook-2023-11">sounding the alarm</a> on global threats for a while. In JPMorgan's third-quarter earnings this month, he <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-earnings-q3-jamie-dimon-economy-geopolitics-banking-wall-street-2024-10">said</a> geopolitical conditions were "treacherous and getting worse." How the conflicts are resolved could have "far-reaching effects on both short-term economic outcomes and more importantly on the course of history," he added.Ray Dalio, another Wall Street billionaire and a financial historian, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ray-dalio-israel-hamas-world-war-middle-east-politics-linkedin-2023-10">said</a> last October that the chance of a world war involving the US and China had jumped from 35% to 50% over the previous two years.

Jamie Dimon says the global order is at risk — and raging conflicts could explode into World War 3

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Israel is intensifying strikes on Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah's command.</li><li>Israel may have targeted Hashem Safieddine, the rumored successor of Hezbollah's assassinated leader.</li></ul>Israel carried air strikes in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Friday as it stepped up its efforts to dismantle Hezbollah's leadership.According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/03/world/middleeast/israel-hezbollah-evacuations-lebanon.html">The New York Times</a>, citing Israeli officials, Israel targeted Hashem Safieddine, the rumored successor of Hezbollah's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-hezbollah-massive-strikes-headquarters-nasrallah-lebanon-2024-9">assassinated leader Hassan Nasrallah.</a>Safieddine is Nasrallah's cousin and reportedly one of Hezbollah's earliest members. It is not known whether he has been killed.Israeli forces also said they had killed Mohammed Anisi, a senior <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/idf-says-hezbollah-leader-nasrallah-is-dead-2024-9">Hezbollah</a> militant, in Beirut.Meanwhile, Israel blocked a major road near Lebanon's Masnaa border crossing with Syria that has been used by hundreds of thousands of people to escape Israeli air attacks, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.It came after Israeli warplanes bombed a medical site linked with Hezbollah in central Beirut on Thursday, killing at least nine people, Lebanese officials said.Several airstrikes were also heard in Beirut's suburbs on Thursday, with one of them believed to have hit Hezbollah's media department, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/oct/03/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-war-strikes-live-updates-middle-east-crisis">The Guardian</a> reported.More than 1,500 people have died in Israeli air strikes in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/expat-beirut-lebanon-says-wont-leave-israel-strikes-loves-country-2024-9">Lebanon</a> in recent weeks, according to Lebanese officials.There are now growing fears that the conflict could transform into a full-blown war in the Middle East.In a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g7-leaders-statement-on-recent-developments-in-the-middle-east-3-october-2024">statement</a>, G7 leaders called for restraint from all sides."A dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliation risks fueling uncontrollable escalation in the Middle East, which is in no one's interest," they said."We also reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, a significant and sustained increase in the flow of humanitarian assistance, and an end to the conflict," they added.Oil prices rose for a fourth day on Friday, fueled by speculation that the growing conflict could limit production.Brent crude futures were up 55 cents, or 0.7%, at $78.17 a barrel as of 4:31 ET. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 50 cents at $74.21 a barrel, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/oil-edges-up-middle-east-conflict-supply-outlook-limits-gains-2024-10-04/">Reuters.</a>President Joe Biden on Thursday said he is discussing whether the US would support an Israeli strike on Iran's oil facilities in retaliation for a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-potential-counterattack-iran-options-assasinations-oil-nuclear-military-bases-2024-10">missile attack by Tehran on Israel this week.</a>Any strike, however, would have major implications for the rest of the world.In the US, there are fears that the industrial recession the economy is experiencing could snowball into a full-fledged downturn."Oil prices spiking, energy prices spiking in the past, have been enough to tip the economy from a slowing into a recession," Jake Oubina, a Piper Sandler economist, said Tuesday in an interview with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0-dWISdBvs">Fox Business</a>.

Israel steps up its airstrikes on Beirut as the conflict in the Middle East escalates

<ul class="summary-list"><li>On Monday night, Jon Stewart presented a solution to the Gaza conflict.</li><li>It includes the creation of a NATO for the Middle East.</li></ul>On his Monday-night show, Jon Stewart outlined his idea for a solution to the Gaza conflict.First, with his signature dry humor, he suggested a scaled-up version of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/seeds-of-peace-camp-for-isreali-palestinians-in-maine/">2014 event in Maine</a> that involved 95 Israeli and Palestinian teens trading "rockets for rackets" at a summer-camp-style gathering.Second, Stewart, said, "Let's just ask God.""It's his house," he added. "He's the one who started all this. Just ask God. He can tell us who is right. Is it the Jews? Is it the Muslims? Is it the Zoroastrians?"But Stewart then got serious and outlined his proposal for ending the violence in Gaza."Starting now, no preconditions, no earned trust, no partners for peace," Stewart said. "Israel stops bombing. Hamas releases the hostages. The Arab countries who claim Palestine is their top priority come in and form a demilitarized zone between Israel and a free Palestinian state."This NATO-like organization would involve Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan guaranteeing "security for both sides," Stewart said. He dubbed the proposed organization "METO" — for "Middle East Treaty Organization" — and said both the name and his proposed pronunciation, which sounds like "me too," could be workshopped further."Obviously, I've not worked out the exact verbiage, but anything is better than" the current "cycle," he said.Stewart is not the first to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-06-29/a-middle-eastern-nato-not-gonna-happen">suggest a NATO-style organization in the Middle East</a>, but the idea has thus far failed to gain traction.The <a target="_blank" href="https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/lw/98683.htm">US-led Baghdad Pact</a> in 1955 did not bring about lasting unity in the region, and the 2002 Arab League resolution also failed. Attempts by leaders such as President Donald Trump to create an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-gulf-alliance/trump-seeks-to-revive-arab-nato-to-confront-iran-idUSKBN1KH2IK/">Arab NATO</a> — and unite Middle Eastern nations with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-06-29/a-middle-eastern-nato-not-gonna-happen?embedded-checkout=true">deeply conflicting security goals and aims</a> — have fallen flat.During his monologue, "The Daily Show" host called out various major parties, from Israel and Hamas to the US, the UN, and other countries in the Middle East, saying they did not have a feasible solution to the violence."The status-quo cycle of provocation and retribution is predicated on some idea that one of these groups is going to go away. And they are not," Stewart said."If we want a safe and free Israel and a safe and free Palestine, we have to recognize that reality. And I know that there is a twisted and much-contested history in the region that has brought us to this point. But we are at this point," Stewart said.

Jon Stewart says he has a solution to the Gaza conflict

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Middle East is anticipating strikes on the anniversary of the October 7 terror attacks. </li><li>Israeli offensives have targeted several Middle Eastern regions, including Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.</li></ul>The Middle East is on high alert for military strikes timed to coincide with the first anniversary of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hamas-goal-october-7-attack-israel-gaza-war-2023-11">October 7 terror attacks on Israel.</a>On this day last year, Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel throughout 22 different border communities that killed more than 1,200 people and left 250 taken hostage.The Israeli response to the attacks was one of the deadliest in the history of Gaza. It launched a series of air strikes and a ground invasion of Gaza that killed 41,600 Palestinians in a year, according to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ochaopt.org/content/one-year-unimaginable-suffering-7-october-attack">Gaza Health Ministry. </a>On Monday, memorials were held across Israel to mark the anniversary. "We're still stuck in October 7th, 2023, in one unending day of terror, of fear, of anger, of despair," Yuval Baron, whose father-in-law Keith Siegel is a hostage in Gaza, told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-marks-oct-7-anniversary-under-shadow-escalating-war-2024-10-07/">Reuters</a>.According to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-marks-oct-7-anniversary-under-shadow-escalating-war-2024-10-07/">the news wire</a>, some Palestinians with entry permits to Israel were unable to enter the country on Monday.Military spokesperson Adm. Daniel Hagari said: "We are ready with increased forces in anticipation for this day."In Iran, airports were temporarily closed on Sunday amid fears that Israel could strike infrastructure facilities in response to its missile attacks last week.Meanwhile, Hezbollah said its rockets hit a military base south of Haifa in the first direct strike on Israel's third-largest city. Israeli media said 10 people were injured.Fifteen other rockets were fired at the Israeli city of Tiberias, according to Israeli officials.In the early hours of the anniversary of the attacks, the IDF <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://t.me/idfofficial/10912">posted on Telegram</a> that five projectiles were fired into Israel from Gaza.Elsewhere, the IDF said in a statement that soldiers of its 91st Division had begun "localized and targeted operational activity in southern Lebanon," which has been rocked by bombings in the last two weeks.Israel's military also intensified its air strikes on Gaza and Lebanon, including Hezbollah intelligence targets and a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in the area of Beirut.It said it killed Khader Ali Tawil, a Hezbollah commander believed to be behind an attack on the Israeli town of Kfar Yuval in January.Georgios Petropoulos, head of the UN Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) suboffice in Gaza, told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-hamas-attack-anniversary-war-11-07-24-intl-hnk/index.html">CNN</a> that he was "woken up by renewed bombing here in Rafah, Gaza on Monday. "The only thing that's left in Gaza, would say is hope. Our supplies are almost zero."Since the Hamas incursion last year, Israel has stepped up attacks on Gaza, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon. It also promised to strike Iran in response to a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-potential-counterattack-iran-options-assasinations-oil-nuclear-military-bases-2024-10">ballistic missile attack on Israel</a> last week.Israel's escalating offensive on Lebanon has left 2,000 dead, per Lebanon's Health Ministry. The BBC estimated about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lebanon-israel-invasion-flee-bombings-hezbollah-refugee-2024-9">a million people have been displaced</a> following the attacks.There are fears the conflict could escalate into a full-blown war in the Middle East. That could <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/global-economy-israel-iran-war-oil-growth-inflation-hurricane-china-2024-10">choke global economic growth and reignite inflation</a>.With oil prices rising, the industrial recession the US economy is experiencing could snowball into a full-fledged downturn."Oil prices spiking, energy prices spiking in the past, have been enough to tip the economy from a slowing into a recession," Jake Oubina, a Piper Sandler economist, said last week in an interview with <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0-dWISdBvs">Fox Business</a>.

The Middle East is on high alert for October 7 anniversary attacks as Israel intensifies strikes on Gaza and Lebanon

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The next US president faces a range of international challenges and potential crises.</li><li>War continues in Ukraine, tensions are rising across the Indo-Pacific region, and ongoing issues plague the Middle East.</li></ul>Just two months out from the 2024 US presidential election, former President Donald Trump and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-dropping-out-what-happens-next-2024-7">Vice President Kamala Harris</a> are working to appeal to American voters on issues like the economy, culture, women's healthcare, and education, among other domestic matters.But there's a lot going on abroad right now, and many of these problems likely aren't going away anytime soon.Regardless of who is elected to the highest office this fall, the next president will potentially face a wide range of international challenges — and potential crises — that may draw their attention beyond the US borders. Issues range from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-military-drills-near-taiwan-send-new-president-a-message-2024-5">China and Taiwan</a> to the Middle East to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-typhoon-military-unit-drone-operations-training-2024-9">Ukraine war</a>.Trump's first term, and his foreign policy in particular, were marked by an "America First" strategy that overhauled the US role on the global stage. On a second go around, it's unclear what that continued approach would look like, although he's recently expressed some controversial opinions on NATO, how he would have handled <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-no-win-situation-gaza-after-months-war-crush-hamas-2024-1">Israel's war in Gaza</a>, and the Ukraine war.<div type="image" title="Israeli tanks move near Gaza border as Israeli army deploys military vehicles around the Gaza Strip, Israel on October 12, 2023." height="3648" width="5472" msid="113169548" hostid="261" sizebytes="1586574"></div>Harris, on the other hand, may find international issues to be something of a<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-tim-walz-first-interview-cnn-takeaways-2024-8"> hurdle</a>. She has yet to release a platform on issues like Ukraine and Russia, China, and North Korea, and it's unclear how many, if any, of her policies will align with President Joe Biden's approach.But either Trump or Harris will likely find foreign policy at the forefront of their presidencies as the world changes — and with some conflicts on the brink or ongoing, these are some of the biggest problems that could be awaiting whoever sits in the Oval Office next.<h2 id="4a2e4a5e-66a8-4f3d-b799-b3bd2dd76299">Russia and the Ukraine war</h2><div type="image" title="Shells sit on the ground in front of an artillery unit actively firing against a blue sky, fire erupting from the barrel." height="5760" width="8640" msid="113169549" hostid="261" sizebytes="3142076"></div>Over two and a half years in, the war in Ukraine has no immediate end in sight. Casualties are abysmal, with recent Western intelligence estimates putting Russian deaths and injuries at <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-suffered-hundreds-thousands-casualties-in-ukraine-western-intelligence-2024-9">over 600,000</a>. Ukrainian forces have likewise suffered high losses, though details are unclear. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-kursk-invasion-russia-hasnt-eased-pressure-off-front-line-2024-9">Ukraine shockingly invaded the Kursk region in Russia</a>, but Russian forces in Ukraine continue advancing.And beyond the war itself, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-worrying-military-tech-north-korea-could-get-from-russia-2024-6">North Korean support for Russia</a>, including ammunition, missiles, and other equipment, has created a concerning partnership between America's foes.US politics have often impacted how the country supports Ukraine, engages with its allies and partners on this issue, and how it confronts Russia over the conflict. These issues, like those of the war itself, continue to linger.The US has been impactful, backing Ukraine as its largest single-nation provider of security assistance, but divisions in Congress have made sending more support difficult at times. Additionally, US flip-flopping and repeated hesitation on weapons provisions and use have often been criticized for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/congress-vote-could-make-break-ukraine-in-war-with-russia-2024-4">hindering Ukraine</a>.Trump and Harris have expressed polar opposite views of supporting Ukraine, which adds uncertainty to Kyiv's future.Trump has said, without reason or evidence, that he'd end the Ukraine war in 24 hours and has repeatedly threatened to undermine the NATO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-nato-views-threaten-key-to-alliances-strength-article-5-2024-2">alliance's collective defense</a>. Harris has said she "will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies," citing her efforts within the Biden administration to support Kyiv as evidence.<h2 id="4fd37882-1e09-4ef6-9434-96d0b7b9b3cd">An aggressive China</h2><div type="image" title="Three amphibious ferrying vehicles sit in the blue ocean with the cityscape and mountains of New Taipei, Taiwan, in the background." height="2666" width="4000" msid="113169556" hostid="261" sizebytes="808580"></div>Issues in the Indo-Pacific region, especially related to China, Taiwan, and the Philippines, as well as other regional US allies, are likely to be important matters facing the next president as well.The Pentagon has long identified this region as its primary focus, even as other conflicts around the world often <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-has-no-aircraft-carriers-pacific-focus-middle-east-2024-8">pull its attention away</a>, and all branches of the US military have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-training-to-counter-aggressive-insidious-china-top-general-2024-2">stepped up training, exercises, and strategies</a> to deter the US' pacing challenge, China.The ongoing clashes between China and the Philippines in contested waters in the South China Sea are rooted in long-standing disputes and have the potential to escalate into conflict, which could draw the US in through its mutual defense pact.Recently, the commander of US Indo-Pacific Command even suggested it's possible the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-warships-could-protect-pacific-allys-ships-from-china-admiral-2024-8">US could send ships to escort Philippine vessels</a> to protect them from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-air-force-harassed-us-ally-aircraft-south-china-sea-2024-8">Chinese harassment</a>, essentially putting the US in the middle of this South China Sea standoff.Another potential flashpoint is a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/red-flags-tell-us-when-chinas-ready-to-invade-taiwan-2024-4">possible Chinese invasion or blockade of Taiwan</a>, which Beijing claims as its own, relentlessly seeking unification. China has repeatedly stated that unification with the autonomous island nation is inevitable, even if it must be done by force. The US military has said that China aims to be ready for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-missing-how-china-could-seize-taiwan-without-invading-experts-2024-5">such a fight</a> by 2027.Beijing's intimidation tactics, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-showed-how-easily-no-notice-it-can-surround-taiwan-2024-6">large military exercises</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-drills-a-test-as-well-as-show-of-force-2024-5">constant incursions in Taiwan's waters and airspace</a>, have raised concerns over how Beijing would use its military to force Taiwan into submission.Trump and Harris again differ on the US role in this region. Trump has shown less support for alliances, left ambiguity around US defense commitments to Taiwan, and said Taiwan should pay the US for its support. Harris has repeatedly called out China's aggressive behavior in the region and aligns with Biden on support for Taiwan.<h2 id="12869c13-0a07-4147-83b4-b9f50953cd03">The ongoing crises in the Middle East</h2><div type="image" title="An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles toward Israel." height="2899" width="4346" msid="113169554" hostid="261" sizebytes="610950"></div>Another major issue, like the war in Ukraine, is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-devastating-airstrikes-hamas-gaza-requesting-more-bombs-weapons-2023-10">Israel's ongoing war in Gaza</a>.Since Hamas carried out its vicious terrorist attack inside Israel on October 7, 2023, killing over 1,000 Israelis, mostly civilians, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/17/october-7-crimes-against-humanity-war-crimes-hamas-led-groups">Human Rights Watch</a>, the horrors that have unfolded in the region have presented various challenges for the Biden administration.Israel's war, which has involved bombing campaigns and ground operations, has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to estimates from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. It has also sparked <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-fed-up-massive-protest-strike-demanding-gaza-deal-hostages-2024-9">increased tensions</a> and, in some cases, outright conflicts with Iran and its proxies, often bringing the Middle East just to the brink of all-out war. There have been assassinations, missile barrages, firefights, and more.The Iranian-backed Houthis' <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-aircraft-carrier-eisenhower-planes-in-air-constantly-houthis-2024-2">attacks on commercial shipping lanes</a> in the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman began in response to the war but have evolved into something more over time. The US<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-carrier-strike-groups-significant-combat-power-middle-east-2024-8"> has sent forces</a>, particularly aircraft carriers and destroyers, to the region to deter Iran and confront the Houthi rebels.Efforts to stop the Houthis have cost the US <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-warships-fired-munitions-substantial-cost-fighting-houthis-2024-8">over $1 billion in weapons</a>, including surface-to-air missiles, land-attack missiles, air-to-air missiles, and air-to-surface weapons. And that figure was just for one carrier strike group and a few extra destroyers.It's unclear when these conflicts will end.Harris' language on Israel and Gaza has mostly echoed Biden's: staunch support for Israel but with repeated calls for a ceasefire. But the White House's continued issues with pro-Palestinian protestors and disagreements with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are trickling into Harris' campaign.Trump showed unequivocal support for Israel in his first term and made repeated decisions that improved US-Israeli relations. He has said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-criticizes-israels-photos-of-bombings-in-gaza-2024-3">he supports Israel's war in Gaza</a> and would continue to give Israel the weapons and aid it wants; he also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/27/trump-israel-gaza-policy-donors/">told donors</a> he'd "crush" pro-Palestinian protestors.<h2 id="98b08573-8c71-486a-8dd8-7ccb85ded3e2">Tensions with North Korea</h2><div type="image" title="This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 16, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspecting a launching drill of the medium-and-long range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 at an undisclosed location." height="1652" width="2500" msid="113169552" hostid="261" sizebytes="67288"></div>North Korea has bounced back from failed negotiations with the US and the isolation of COVID, establishing new, potentially fruitful connections with Russia through arms deals. Those ties have China engaging Pyongyang as well, leaving it, as one expert said earlier this year, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-sitting-pretty-as-russia-china-vie-for-attention-2024-1">"sitting pretty."</a>North Korea has been emboldened, setting in stone its nuclear status and continuing to advance its missile programs while notably strengthening its relationship with US rivals.Additionally, North Korean provocations persist amid growing concerns about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-next-north-korea-crisis-could-come-this-year-2024-5">inter-Korean conflict</a>, which would, as it did in the 1950s, inevitably draw in the US in response.Trump and Harris may be more aligned on their North Korean policy than other issues, but US policy with regard to North Korea has traditionally been a pitfall, with displays of force and demands for it to denuclearize often failing. Negotiations have also been unsuccessful.In shaping US policy, the next president could also face challenges with South Korea's president Yoon Suk Yeol, a hawk who has taken a harsher stance on North Korea than the previous administration, requiring the delicate navigation of bilateral relations.<div type="image" title="Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris." height="1000" width="2000" msid="113169559" hostid="261" sizebytes="125244"></div>Both Trump and Harris find themselves running for president at a particular tense time in global politics. Amid a number of challenges at home, US attention is being pulled in a variety of directions.Whoever wins the 2024 presidential election this November will have to consider how to manage these issues along with the US position on the world stage. And their decisions could impact not just the US, but allies, partners, and adversaries as well.

This is the conflict-ridden, tension-filled world that the next US president may have to face

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Many NATO armies may not be prepared for large-scale urban warfare.</li><li>Israel's operation in Gaza is a test-case for what they may need.</li></ul>Urban warfare in Gaza has revealed a painful truth for NATO: Many of its armies are ill-prepared for fighting in crowded cities.The Israel Defense Forces has achieved some success in adapting new weapons and tactics, such as arming tactical units with missiles and drones rather than relying support from aircraft and artillery, according to a new British study. The problem is that the British Army lacks the equipment to replicate Israeli tactics."While British troops may be trained to fight like the IDF, they find themselves equipped to die like Hamas," warned the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/occasional-papers/tactical-lessons-israel-defense-forces-operations-gaza-2023">report</a> by the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/british-army-size-smallest-since-napoleonic-wars-2024-7">British Army</a> is understrength, underequipped and underfunded. But so are many European armies that dwindled after the end of the Cold War. Even some American experts worry about the city-fighting capabilities of the <a target="_blank" href="https://warontherocks.com/2023/12/learning-from-real-wars-gaza-and-ukraine/">US Army</a>, which is far more lavishly equipped and supplied than its NATO counterparts. There is good reason for concern: urban warfare has become a fixture of warfare on a rapidly urbanizing planet, from <a target="_blank" href="https://mwi.westpoint.edu/urban-warfare-case-study-6-first-battle-of-fallujah/">Fallujah</a> in 2003 to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bakhmut-how-ukraine-lost-city-russia-won-hollow-victory-2023-12">Bakhmut</a> in 2023.So it's natural for NATO armies to study how the IDF — a NATO-style mechanized force with a reputation for innovative tactics and high-tech equipment — is battling Hamas among the labyrinthine streets and high-rises of Gaza. Like Western militaries, the last place the IDF wants to fight is in a city, where buildings and rubble shelter the defender, impede armored vehicles and hamper airpower and artillery. Gaza poses an added challenge: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-invasion-gaza-hamas-hardest-fighting-underground-tunnels-warfare-2023-10">a vast tunnel network</a> that Hamas uses for storing weapons and springing hit-and-run attacks.Indeed, Israel even coined a term for this form of combat: "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israeli-troops-struggled-to-fight-through-gaza-sections-reduced-rubble-2024-7">Devastated terrain warfare</a>." Israel's aerial barrage reduced many neighborhoods to rubble before ground forces moved in and is the leading cause of the 39,000 reported Palestinian fatalities. It is a challenging environment for Israel in particular, a small nation of 10 million people that is sensitive to casualties among its soldiers, the majority of whom are reservists.<div type="image" title="Israeli troops and their vehicles have faced challenges operating in sections of Gaza that the Israeli Air Force shattered." height="1342" width="2000" msid="112424687" hostid="261" sizebytes="269204"></div>One tactic that proved effective was to give the lower echelon units — such as platoons — small attack <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/armies-need-their-own-drone-air-force-flown-by-specialists-study-says-2024-5">drones</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anti-tank-missiles-armor-ukraine-tank-still-has-battlefield-role-2023-10">anti-tank missiles</a>. "It was discovered that units that had these systems as well as ATGMs [anti-tank guided missiles] could monitor more urban terrain and conduct precision strikes at tempo in support of tactical actions," RUSI said. "The small size of the munitions used meant that they could be used with an expectation of precision."With Hamas hiding in and raiding from an estimated 450 miles of concrete tunnels, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-uses-yahalom-unit-when-it-needs-to-fight-underground-2023-11">the IDF</a> also found that it couldn't clear buildings first and then destroy the tunnels underneath. "As the operation developed, it became evident that this allowed Hamas to persist in conducting ambushes for a protracted period and to then transition to a layered defense of underground facilities," noted RUSI analysts Jack Watling and Nick Reynolds, who co-authored the report. "Nor could underground infrastructure be safely bypassed." This meant that Israeli troops had to clear the surface and tunnels simultaneously.Surprisingly, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-pounding-gaza-massive-spice-kit-bombs-2023-12">the high-rise buildings</a> of Gaza proved less beneficial to Hamas than anticipated. Fighters stationed in the upper stories had limited visibility and fields of fire, so the tendency was to stick to the first few levels. But tall buildings did help the defender in another way: destroying them with air strikes led to extensive rubble that hampered the attacker's tanks and infantry.The biggest lesson of Gaza is the importance of firepower in urban warfare, according to RUSI. This makes arming tactical units, such as infantry platoons, with as much firepower as possible. Unlike mechanized operations, where low-level infantry and armored units might get air and artillery support from higher headquarters, city fighting tends to be waged by small units.Firepower played a decisive role "in determining initiative during the fighting in Gaza," RUSI said. "Ultimately, the superiority in responsiveness and organic lethality of IDF units made it costly for Hamas to mount attacks, and the larger the force it endeavored to bring to bear, the higher the cost of any given action. Furthermore, while indirect fire prevented Hamas from concentrating its forces, the limited organic lethality of its teams meant that once they engaged IDF troops, they were quickly suppressed and thereafter destroyed."Another lesson is the importance of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-israel-defense-systems-weapons-in-action-2024-4">air defense</a>. "Buildings do not offer significant protection against air-delivered munitions because of the weight of ordnance that can be dropped with precision," the report pointed out.Airpower also hampers maneuver, a major handicap for armies that usually lack the strength to occupy an entire city, and thus have to redeploy troops to key sectors. "Hamas's lack of ability to threaten Israeli aircraft and ISR [aerial reconnaissance] meant that it was unable to concentrate and lacked freedom of maneuver," said RUSI. "Once its defensive strong points were identified, they could be reduced. The weight of munitions deliverable from the air outweighs anything deliverable from artillery systems, such that many of the defensive advantages of urban terrain can be bypassed if it is possible to conduct precision bombing from medium altitude."In other words, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-israel-trying-to-achieve-in-gaza-bombing-2023-12">aerial bombing</a> from this altitude is accurate and high volume enough to destroy most urban strongholds or render them useless.This phenomenon has been seen in Ukraine, said Watling and Reynolds, who have extensively studied that conflict. "Whenever the Russian air force has established access at medium altitude near an urban settlement, it has rapidly destroyed it, enabling subsequent capture."However, the lessons of Israeli operations are not always applicable to other conflicts. For example, unlike Russia, Hamas has no artillery, nor electronic warfare to jam Israeli drones and communications, RUSI said. Hamas also only had 40,000 fighters at the war's start, many of whom are now casualties.Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

Israel's urban warfare tactics in Gaza offer lessons for NATO armies

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Kamala Harris' new VP pick has been broadly supportive of Israel over the course of his career.</li><li>But he's also taken a conciliatory approach toward pro-Palestinian activists.</li></ul>Vice President Kamala Harris has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-names-tim-walz-vice-president-pick-minnesota-2024-7">chosen Gov. Tim Walz</a> of Minnesota as her running mate.In an election that's been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-age-memory-war-israel-2024-2">rocked by the war in Gaza</a> and a swelling pro-Palestinian protest movement, Walz seems to offer something for everyone.Like most other Democrats, Walz has long been a supporter of Israel. When he served in the House from 2007-2019, he frequently took pro-Israel votes, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-resolution/11">voting to condemn</a> a United Nations resolution affirming that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. 108 other House Democrats voted for it, while 76 voted against it. He has also met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Mark Mellman, the chairman of Democratic Majority for Israel's super PAC, praised Harris' selection of Walz in a statement, calling him a "proud pro-Israel Democrat with a strong record of supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship."At the same time, progressives — including those who have accused Israel of committing genocide — are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-tim-walz-progressives-record-selection-election-analysis-2024-8">elated by Walz's selection</a>, owing to his more conciliatory approach toward the pro-Palestinian movement.After tens of thousands of Democrats <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-uncommitted-campaign-north-carolina-minnesota-2024-3">cast "uncommitted" ballots</a> in Minnesota's presidential primary — Walz took a sympathetic view, even praising those voters for being "civically engaged.""This issue is a humanitarian crisis, they have every right to be heard," Walz <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2024/03/07/gov-walz-says-minnesotas-45000-uncommitted-voters-are-civically-engaged">said</a>. "These folks are asking for a change in course, they're asking for more pressure to be put on."Elianne Farhat, a senior advisor for the Uncommitted movement, said in a statement on Tuesday that Walz has "demonstrated a remarkable ability to evolve as a public leader," noting his past evolution on gun rights."While his past positions as a Congressman may have conflicted with anti-war voters, we hope he can evolve on this issue as he has on others, such as shifting from an A to F rating from the NRA," Farhat said. "As Harris' vice presidential pick, it's crucial he continues this evolution by supporting an arms embargo on Israel's war and occupation against Palestinians in an effort to unite our party to defeat authoritarianism in the fall."Broadly, Walz has sought to strike a balance in his rhetoric on the war."You can hold competing things: That Israel has the right to defend itself, and the atrocities of October 7 are unacceptable, but Palestinian civilians being caught in this… has got to end," Walz told Minnesota Public Radio in March.Walz has said at the time that he supported a "working cease-fire" in Gaza, signaling support for the <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-israel-gaza-aid-state-of-union-no-other-path-2024-3">Biden administration's efforts</a> to secure peace.Progressives may also simply be breathing a sigh of relief that Harris did not select Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.Though Shapiro's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-vice-president-candidates-positions-israel-gaza-2024-7#gov-josh-shapiro-of-pennsylvania-1">policy positions on Israel</a> are largely in line with other Democrats, progressives and pro-Palestinian activists have drawn attention to his comparison of some campus protesters to the Ku Klux Klan.

Where Gov. Tim Walz stands on Israel, Gaza, and pro-Palestinian protests

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Starbucks franchisee in the Middle East is set to lay off over 2,000 employees, Reuters reported.</li><li>AlShaya Group has been hit by boycotts of its Western brands amid the Israel-Gaza war.</li></ul>A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-founder-wants-it-to-do-some-soul-searching-2024-3">Starbucks</a> franchisee is set to lay off over 2,000 employees across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the wake of consumer boycotts linked to the Gaza conflict, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/starbucks-middle-east-franchisee-alshaya-cut-over-2000-jobs-sources-say-2024-03-05/">Reuters</a> reported, citing people familiar with the matter.Starbucks has faced protests from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67777506">both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel camps</a>, but it has released statements saying it has "no political agenda" and that it condemns "violence, the loss of innocent life and all hate and weaponized speech."In a statement in December, Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said protesters had been "influenced by misrepresentation on social media" of what the company stands for.The company has also become embroiled in a dispute in the US, where its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-sues-employee-union-over-logo-use-pro-palestinian-posts-2023-10">management and a union organizing its workers sued each other over</a> using the company's name and logo following a social media post by the union declaring "solidarity" with Palestine.In a statement to Business Insider, the franchisee, AlShaya Group, which operates Starbucks in the Middle East, confirmed that it had "taken the sad and very difficult decision" to reduce the number of personnel in its Starbucks MENA stores.The company pointed to "challenging trading conditions over the last six months" as the reason for the cuts, which will affect around 4% of its total workforce, the Reuters report said.AlShaya told BI it was still "committed to the region" and would support those affected by the layoffs.AlShaya, established in Kuwait in 1890, also owns the rights to operate brands including Chipotle, The Cheesecake Factory, and Victoria's Secret, according to its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.alshaya.com/en/brands">website</a>.A Starbucks spokesperson told Business Insider: "As Alshaya reviews its business portfolio they have made the difficult decision to eliminate some roles in their Starbucks store portfolio.""Our thoughts are with the green apron partners who will be leaving, and we want to thank them for their contributions," they added.Starbucks CEO Narasimhan said in a Q1 earnings call that the company had seen "a significant impact on traffic and sales" in the Middle East but believed it would be a "transitory" issue.The layoffs came as Starbucks and other <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/world-turning-on-us-food-brands-mcdonalds-starbucks-israel-gaza-2024-2">Western brands such as McDonald's</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/boycott-campaigns-over-gaza-war-hit-western-brands-some-arab-countries-2023-11-22/">KFC</a> have faced consumer boycotts over the Israel-Gaza war.Fast good giant McDonald's missed its first-quarter sales target for the first time in almost four years after boycotts hit its operations in the Middle East, Indonesia, Malaysia, and France, per <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/mcdonalds-records-first-sales-miss-nearly-4-years-slow-international-business-2024-02-05/">Reuters</a>."So long as this war is going on ... we're not expecting to see any significant improvement (in these markets)," McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said.<div type="image" title="israel missile gaza strip" height="1000" width="1500" msid="108351524" hostid="261" sizebytes="99298"></div>Israel's mass airstrikes and ground invasion of the Gaza Strip have killed more than 30,000 Palestinians in the conflict so far.The strikes were launched in response to Hamas' October 7 attacks, which killed around 1,200 people in Israel and saw about 240 others taken hostage in Gaza.

Starbucks Middle East franchisee to slash over 2,000 jobs as boycotts linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict hit Western brands, says report 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Israel launched a scorched-earth campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas' October 7 terror attacks.</li><li>This intense campaign has destroyed large portions of the coastal enclave.</li></ul>Israel's military campaign in Gaza has turned vast swaths of the coastal enclave into ruins, making it extremely difficult for soldiers to operate in the rubble, according to a recently published report.The "rubblization" of the urban battlespace in Gaza caused headaches for armored and infantry elements of the Israel Defense Forces as they sought to maneuver and identify Hamas targets, analysts at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute think tank <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/occasional-papers/tactical-lessons-israel-defense-forces-operations-gaza-2023">described in a report</a> that was published earlier this month.The IDF launched a devastating and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-palestine-confilct-bombing-gaza-strip-hamas-united-states-isis-2023-10">widespread bombing campaign</a> of Gaza immediately following Hamas' October 7 massacre in Israel, during which some 1,200 people were killed. That air campaign paved the way for ground forces to move in later to conduct clearing operations.The bombing campaign — which employed a mix of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-pounding-gaza-massive-spice-kit-bombs-2023-12">precision and unguided munitions</a> — combined with intense artillery fire and consistent ground fighting reduced large portions of the Palestinian enclave to rubble.More than <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e5y8ny1l4o">39,000 Palestinians have been killed</a> in the war so far, according to figures from the local Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its casualty reporting.<div type="image" title="Palestinians cycle past destroyed buildings leveled as a result of Israeli bombardment in northern Gaza on July 29." height="3648" width="5472" msid="112117828" hostid="261" sizebytes="2013574"></div>Looking back on early operations, Jack Watling and Nick Reynolds, land warfare experts at RUSI, wrote in their review of Israeli operations in Gaza during the fall that "although the IDF made rapid progress during the early break-in, rubblization caused a range of problems."One of the issues that arose was that Israeli tank drivers had a hard time figuring out the depth of a crater left by an explosion while using night vision. Some armored vehicles then drove into holes and got stuck. To make matters worse, the IDF has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hezbollah-has-the-firepower-to-ambush-israeli-tanks-in-lebanon-2024-7">suffered from tank shortages</a> during its monthlong campaign in Gaza.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/researchers-mapped-gaza-damage-buildings-destroyed-israel-hamas-2023-12">destruction in Gaza</a> also turned the battlespace into an "irregular, congested, and complex visual environment," the RUSI conflict analysts said. This made it difficult for ground units to accurately identify and designate Hamas targets.For instance, "forces that had been trained to talk one another onto targets using the windows and floors of a building as reference points struggled to rapidly convey where enemy were to one another in structures that no longer had uniformity," the analysts said.<div type="image" title="Israeli soldiers operate in southern Gaza on July 3." height="1426" width="2160" msid="112117826" hostid="261" sizebytes="325360"></div>Former US military and intelligence officers warned during the early stages of the Israel-Hamas war that the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-gaza-hamas-invasion-harder-isis-battle-ex-socom-head-2023-10">urban fighting</a> in Gaza would be <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-invasion-gaza-root-out-hamas-would-be-nasty-fight-2023-10">incredibly complex</a> for the IDF, especially the militant group's notorious tunnel network.Because the destruction within Gaza was largely the result of the Israeli bombing campaign and artillery fire, the RUSI analysts argued that the IDF should have factored these characteristics into the planning of its ground operations."The IDF had persistent challenges with rubblization, both because it created obstructions for movement and degraded the ability to describe the terrain and thus coordinate and control fire," the conflict analysts wrote."The IDF has concluded that specific training is necessary for what it is terming 'devastated terrain warfare,'" they added. "Specific drills for talking soldiers onto target when looking at irregular terrain must be practiced."The recently released RUSI report only focuses on fall 2023 operations, but the Israeli military campaign has also run into issues this year as well. For example, the IDF has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-killed-top-hamas-commanders-gaza-not-those-wants-most-2024-4">struggled to prevent Hamas from returning</a> to sectors it had already cleared through hard-fought and bloody battles.

You Searched For "Gaza conflict" and got 11 results

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