Mahmoud Hams/AFP via Getty Images
An Israeli missile fired from the Iron Dome missile defense system attempts to intercept a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip over the town of Netivot, southern Israel, on October 8, 2023.
WashingtonCNN –
Nine U.S. citizens have died in the conflict in Israel, U.S. authorities said Monday, and an unknown number remain missing.
“At this time, we can confirm the deaths of nine U.S. citizens. We express our deepest condolences to the victims and the families of all those affected and wish those injured a speedy recovery. We continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in contact with our Israeli partners, particularly local authorities,” the spokesman said in a statement.
The spokesman added: “We continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in contact with our Israeli partners, particularly local authorities.”
State Department spokesman Matt Miller told CNN’s Phil Mattingly on Monday that U.S. authorities were in close contact with the Israeli government and the families of those affected by the attack.
U.S. authorities are scrambling to determine how many Americans were killed or taken hostage in the conflict. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday’s “State of the Union” that the US was working “overtime” to verify reports of missing and dead Americans, and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer said Americans were under the “scores”. of hostages held in Gaza.
Qatar has been in talks with Hamas about the hostages the terror group is holding in the Gaza Strip, and the U.S. has coordinated with the Qataris because they play an important intermediary role with Hamas, a senior U.S. official and another close to the talks said person confidant told CNN.
U.S. officials at the White House and State Department, including Blinken and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, remained in touch with the Qataris throughout the weekend as they communicated with Hamas. CNN has reached out to the governments of Qatar and Israel for comment.
The U.S. has also pledged to provide additional military support in the coming days, although domestic political disruptions could hamper the response.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Sunday that he had ordered the U.S. Navy’s Ford Carrier Strike Group to the eastern Mediterranean near Israel. The USS Gerald Ford is the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier and will be deployed to the region along with a guided-missile cruiser and four destroyers as a deterrent, Austin said.
But the current commander of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, responsible for U.S. naval operations in the Middle East, including the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman, is still awaiting promotion to deputy commander of U.S. Central Command which monitors U.S. forces and operations in the region after Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville withheld military confirmations.
Meanwhile, as the Biden administration seeks to provide additional aid to Israel, officials were unsure over the weekend about what could be accomplished without an acting speaker. Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry has little power beyond withdrawing, adjourning or recognizing speaker nominations, and it is unclear whether he can attend intelligence briefings on the crisis.
Administration officials said they would look to the current $100 million Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows for the rapid shipment of weapons from existing stockpiles, to immediately send more aid, according to a person familiar with the discussion. Utilization will likely require additional funding from Congress, the officials told lawmakers.
This story has been updated with additional reporting and background information.