Days after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, the Pentagon dispatched several dozen commandos to assist in hostage recovery efforts, according to U.S. officials. These troops, part of the Joint Special Operations Command, were soon joined by intelligence officers collaborating both in Israel and at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.
While American support for Israel has largely centered on U.S.-made weaponry used in Gaza, intelligence assistance has also played a pivotal role. U.S. intelligence was instrumental in locating four hostages rescued by Israeli commandos in June.
From the onset of the conflict, U.S. military and intelligence units focused not only on locating hostages but also on identifying key Hamas leaders. Although U.S. military officials do not claim credit for the operation that resulted in the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, they acknowledge that their intelligence contributed to the effort.
President Biden stated that shortly after the October 7 attacks, he directed Special Operations personnel and intelligence professionals to collaborate with Israeli counterparts in tracking Sinwar and other Hamas leaders hiding in Gaza.
Throughout the Gaza conflict, U.S. fusion cells adjusted their focus based on actionable intelligence, sometimes prioritizing hostage locations and at other times targeting Hamas leaders. However, both missions remained ongoing and interconnected.
Defense Department officials clarified that they are not directly supporting Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have resulted in significant civilian casualties. The pursuit of Hamas leaders is considered a separate mission.
Hamas had taken approximately 250 hostages during the attacks, including Americans. Sinwar and other Hamas commanders strategically kept captives nearby to deter Israeli attempts to kill them, threatening to execute hostages if Israeli forces approached.
U.S. military officials emphasized that the search for hostages was their primary mission in Israel, but senior administration officials indicated that the missions to locate hostages and Hamas leaders were closely linked.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan noted that U.S. military and intelligence agencies have applied their expertise gained from prior operations against high-value targets to assist Israel since the early weeks following October 7.
Senior White House officials have reportedly met with CIA Director William J. Burns and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III regarding additional support for targeting cells to expedite the search for Sinwar.
While specific details on the intelligence provided to Israel remain undisclosed, at least six MQ-9 Reaper drones operated by U.S. Special Operations forces have conducted missions to locate hostages and monitor for signs of life, relaying potential leads to the Israel Defense Forces.
These drones, while unable to map Hamas's extensive tunnel systems, can detect heat signatures of individuals entering or exiting tunnels from above ground. Ultimately, it was a random Israeli unit on patrol that located Sinwar.
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder confirmed that no U.S. forces participated directly in the operation that killed Sinwar, stating, "This was an Israeli operation." However, U.S. officials maintain that their intelligence significantly aided the Israeli military in narrowing down its search.
In the aftermath of Hamas's killings of hostages in Rafah, American and Israeli intelligence agencies concentrated efforts in that area, suspecting it to be where Sinwar was hiding.