American Military Attacked While Building Gaza Aid Pier

Gaza-based militants launched mortar rounds on Wednesday at Israeli forces making preparations for the U.S.-led effort to establish a new maritime aid route for Gaza, according to three U.S. officials.

No American equipment was damaged as the U.S.-led project — which will establish a pier a few miles offshore as well as a causeway anchored to the beach to expand access to humanitarian aid — is not yet complete, said one of the officials. All were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive plans.

It’s not clear whether the militants knew what they were attacking, said the first U.S. official, adding that they may have simply seen a “target of opportunity” to strike the Israel Defense Forces.

A “small number of mortars” caused “minimal damage” in Gaza in the vicinity of the “marshaling yard area for humanitarian assistance that will soon be delivered by sea,” said one of the officials, a member of the U.S. military.

The attack occurred before U.S. personnel began constructing the floating pier, the official said, noting that “there will be no U.S. forces on the ground in Gaza.”