The scope of Hamas’s attack against Israel was unprecedented and the US response reflects that.
It already supplies its Middle East ally with $3.8bn (£3.1bn) of military aid every year.
And it has always backed Israel’s right to defend itself when conflicts with Hamas erupt, albeit intervening with ceasefire calls after a few days or weeks of Israeli air strikes.
But this Hamas offensive will trigger a wide-ranging Israeli campaign and could lead to an escalation in other parts of the region.
