US believes Israel let down its guard as Hamas prepared its attack – CNN

US officials and lawmakers are inclined to believe that Israel lost its vigilance and therefore could not foresee the attack of Hamas from the Gaza Strip.

Source: CNN, based on communication with dozens of current and former intelligence officers, military personnel and members of Congress, as European Pravda reports

Details: The US side believes that Hamas probably concealed the planning of its attack with the help of "old-fashioned counterintelligence measures", such as meeting face-to-face and avoiding using digital means of communication the signal of which can be tracked.

But the US also believes Israel let its own guard down about the threat posed by Hamas and failed to recognize key signs that the group was planning a large-scale operation, CNN writes.

Quote: "There were numerous indicators of a change in posture generally by Hamas and then pivoting both in public rhetoric and posture more towards violence and attacks generally," one source familiar with US intelligence told the news channel.

Hamas stopping its participation in the clashes between other pro-Palestinian groups and Israel in recent months was also suspicious. In addition, the group probably did not expect such a successful offensive, the CNN source adds.

At the same time, the White House in recent months – at least publicly – has not expressed concern about Hamas activity in the Gaza Strip and has seen no signs of the group's preparations for an attack.

Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense, arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday to meet with his Israeli counterpart and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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