The Biden administration is expressing concerns about Israel's lack of achievable military objectives in Gaza and the readiness of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to launch a successful ground invasion. Senior administration officials have been in contact with their Israeli counterparts, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in conducting a ground invasion due to the intricate tunnel networks maintained by Hamas under densely populated areas in Gaza.

While the Biden administration officials deny telling Israel what to do and continue to support the ground invasion, they have sent Lt. Gen. James Glynn, a three-star Marine, and other officers to assist the Israelis with the challenges of urban warfare. The deployment of General Glynn does not mean that the Pentagon is making decisions for Israel, as clarified by a Pentagon official. These officials stress the importance of civilian protection and emphasize the difficulties of urban combat, drawing on the lessons learned from the campaign to clear Mosul of Islamic State fighters in 2016 and 2017.

However, the administration is concerned that the IDF does not have a clear military pathway to achieve Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's goal of eradicating Hamas. American officials have not yet seen an achievable plan of action in their conversations with Israeli officials since the Hamas attacks began on October 7. President Biden has publicly called for clarity regarding objectives and an honest assessment of whether the current path will achieve those objectives.

The Pentagon officials believe that a ground invasion in Gaza could result in a significant loss of civilian lives, and they advocate for a more cautious approach. They suggest considering surgical airstrikes combined with targeted raids by special operations troops, as was done in Mosul, or a gradual clearing operation similar to the efforts in Mosul and Raqqa, which resulted in significant civilian casualties. Both approaches would result in heavy losses, but a ground operation would likely be far bloodier for both troops and civilians.

Senator Jack Reed, the head of the Armed Services Committee, has also called on Israel to delay the ground invasion to allow for hostage negotiations, humanitarian aid, and the fine-tuning of urban-combat planning. He emphasizes the complexity of such an operation and the need for careful preparation.

The Biden administration has advised Israel to delay the ground invasion to allow time for hostage negotiations and the delivery of humanitarian aid. They also hope to have more time to prepare for potential attacks on U.S. interests in the region by Iran-backed groups, which are expected to intensify once Israel enters Gaza. The U.S. is not making a demand of Israel and continues to support the ground invasion and Israel's goal of eradicating Hamas. However, recent events and the release of two American hostages by Hamas have prompted the administration to urgently suggest the delay of the land war to negotiate the release of the remaining hostages.

The advice to hold off on the ground invasion is being conveyed through Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, who has been in daily contact with his Israeli counterpart. The Pentagon is assisting Israel with military actions and providing advice on the ground invasion. While a spokesperson for Yoav Gallant, the Israeli Defense Minister, declined to comment on the conversations, a diplomat from the Israeli Embassy in Washington denied that the U.S. government was advising Israel to delay the ground invasion and emphasized the close dialogue between the two countries.

The U.S. officials are concerned that a ground invasion could hinder hostage negotiations and play into the narrative that Iran and its allies spread about the U.S. secretly controlling Israel. There are worries of potential escalation and attacks on U.S. forces and personnel by Iranian proxies. The State Department has ordered the departure of nonessential American government employees and family members from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the U.S. Consulate in Erbil, Iraq, due to threats of terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, and civil unrest.

American officials are carefully wording their advice to Israel, avoiding making direct requests. President Biden raised important questions during his meeting with the Israeli war cabinet, including concerns about the aftermath of the operation, the impact on hostages, and the possibility of a two-front war. These questions draw parallels to the U.S. decisions to invade Iraq and engage in a prolonged war in Afghanistan.

In conclusion, the Biden administration is advising Israel to delay the ground invasion of Gaza to allow for hostage negotiations, humanitarian aid, and careful planning. While they support the invasion and Israel's goal of eradicating Hamas, they emphasize the challenges of urban warfare and the need to protect civilian lives. The U.S. officials are concerned about the lack of achievable military objectives and hope to avoid escalations in the region.