Watch: US Deploys Anti-Air Defense System On Gaza Aid Pier
Israeli media has reported that two American soldiers were injured Thursday in an accident which occurred while working on the Gaza humanitarian pier.
"Two U.S. soldiers sustained light injuries on Thursday during a work accident near the temporary floating pier in Gaza," i24 News said.
"The soldiers were promptly evacuated through Ashdod Port to an Israeli hospital for treatment," the report indicated. Israeli Army Radio described that the US soldiers were "injured in the floating dock area off Gaza."
The pier has seen the first aid trucks roll off in the last several days, but the whole operation has been off to a chaotic start. As of Tuesday there had not been any deliveries confirmed even though several trucks had departed with aid.
"Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday that the issues have arisen once the aid was loaded onto nongovernmental organization trucks, departed the marshaling area and headed toward distribution warehouses in Gaza," Navy Times reported.
Some of the trucks had reportedly been taken over by desperate Palestinians before making it to their destination.
"Only five of the 16 aid trucks that left the secured area on Saturday arrived at the intended warehouse with their cargo intact, U.N. World Food Program spokesperson Steve Taravella told The Associated Press," Navy Times continued. "He said the other 11 trucks were waylaid by what became a crowd of people and arrived without their cargo."
Site security has remained a serious concern, despite Israel's military (IDF) being in charge of protecting the land portion of the pier, with US warships off the coast.
Widely circulating social media images appear to confirm that the US military has deployed a C-RAM system (Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar) to safeguard the pier from aerial attacks such as drones or rockets.
Videos suggest it has already seen some action, possibly having taken out a drone flying nearby. Or else, it may have been a planned live-fire test to ensure its positioning and capabilities once installed. The C-RAM is relied upon to protect US forward operating bases elsewhere in the Middle East, as well as places like the US Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone.
Below: Watch the newly installed C-RAM in action on Gaza's coast...
The Pentagon previously made it clear that if US troops come under fire, they are authorized to defend themselves and fire back. However, the IDF has also said it is providing security on land, and there are at least two Israeli bases established nearby.
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