As Israel’s counteroffensive into the Gaza Strip continued overnight, one retired four-star general warned the conflict may not end any time soon.
"The global order that we established post-World War II is falling apart," FOX News senior strategic analyst Ret. Gen. Jack Keane said on "Mornings with Maria" Tuesday. "And one of the reasons they're doing this, is they believe American leadership is weak. They think we're in decline. And that's the reality of what we're facing."
"We've got to draw the lesson here of what is happening. We have three vital areas in the world where we have our interests: Europe, the Pacific and the Middle East," Keane continued. "We've got an adversary that started a war in Europe, we have another one in Iran that started another one here using its proxies, and we have our friend, Mr. Xi, threatening a war in the Pacific."
Israeli warplanes pounded downtown Gaza City with relentless bombardments into early Tuesday, after Israel’s prime minister vowed retaliation against the Islamic militant group that would "reverberate for generations."
ISRAEL AT WAR WITH HAMAS AFTER SURPRISE ATTACKS, AROUND 900 ISRAELIS DEAD
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a nationally televised address, where he said: "We have only started striking Hamas."
Israel has, so far, issued warnings to civilians in areas of Gaza City and others where they intend to strike. The warnings have given civilians moments to evacuate so as to reduce the number of civilian deaths.
Hamas has threatened to start executing captured Israelis if strikes targeted civilians without warning. Israel said that Hamas is holding more than 150 soldiers and civilians hostage in Gaza.
Gen. Keane argued the conflict may continue for "weeks, and possibly months," for Israel to regain effective control of the Gaza Strip.
"This is a very different operation. It's going to take some time. It's going to require some patience," Keane said. "And we're going to have to give Israel our backing because there'll be calls, as soon as casualties start to mount, for a cease-fire. That is not what the Israeli government is about. They are about eliminating this terrorist network once and for all."
In terms of defense aid, weapons or potential U.S. troops, the retired general explained why "whatever the Israelis want, we should be giving them."
"That's what we have done in the past in the '73 war. Nixon gave them 22 tons worth of equipment: jet fighters, tanks and ammunition. Let's give them what they need to win this war, period," Keane said. "They're a close ally of us, and that's what we do to support an ally."
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"They have never, ever asked for American troops to help them, from 1948 to the present," he added. "We've given them equipment like we're doing right now, but I would suspect if they couldn't control this and they were taking daily casualties and they weren't able to eliminate all the launchers, they may ask the United States to assist. And I don't imagine any president could ever say no to that request."
The four-day-old war has already claimed at least 1,600 lives, after Hamas terrorists invaded the Gaza-Israel border and attacked towns and villages. Israel also saw gun battles in the streets of its own towns for the first time in decades.
FOX News’ Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
