Key Biden aide Brett McGurk on Hamas, Iran, Saudi Arabia and why U.S. nearly took "draconian measures" against Israel

Key Points:

• President Joe Biden considered taking "draconian measures," including potentially cutting off U.S. weapons to Israel, after an Israeli drone strike killed seven aid workers in Gaza, but U.S. intelligence about an imminent large-scale Iranian attack on Israel prevented this action, according to former Middle East adviser Brett McGurk.
• McGurk revealed that the Biden administration paused some weapons transfers to Israel but never fully halted military aid, arguing that ending support would not resolve the crisis and could worsen it by hardening Hamas' stance.
• The U.S. and its allies helped protect Israel from a massive Iranian missile and drone attack reportedly involving over 300 projectiles launched simultaneously, while Biden also faced internal criticism for not leveraging U.S. aid more effectively to influence Israeli actions in Gaza.
• McGurk disclosed concerns in late 2024 about Iran potentially advancing toward weapons-grade uranium and that the U.S. was prepared to strike Iranian nuclear sites if evidence emerged, though no such strike was carried out.
• Efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia were underway before the October 7 Hamas attack, which disrupted progress; McGurk criticized Biden's 2022 Saudi visit for a perceived diplomatic misstep and noted the attack may have been intended to derail the normalization deal.