US defence secretary urges change of tactics

The US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, held talks with Israeli officials about shifting away from large-scale aerial and ground operations in the Gaza Strip to a new phrase in the war focused on the precise targeting of Hamas leaders.

- Bethan McKernan

"Hamas should never again be able to project terror from Gaza into Israel.

This is Israel's operation; I'm not here to dictate timelines or terms," Austin said after meeting with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his defence counterpart, Yoav Gallant, in Tel Aviv on Monday. He added that protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza was "both a moral duty and a strategic imperative".

Austin's comments were followed by remarks from Gallant, who said the new phase would allow some of the 85% of people in Gaza displaced from their homes to return to the northern part of the strip.