As the region prepared for a feared Iranian attack against Israel, the top U.S. general started an unexpected trip to the Middle East on Saturday to talk about measures to prevent any fresh escalation in tensions that could turn into a larger conflict.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, started his journey in Jordan and announced that he will be visiting Egypt and Israel in the near future to hear the viewpoints of military officials.
His visit coincides with efforts by the US to broker a cease-fire for captives in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, the militant Palestinian organization, which, according to Brown, would “help bring down the temperature,” if successful.