US says ‘our support for Israel's inherent right to defend itself is ironclad’

US Air Force major general Patrick Ryder, press secretary of the Department of Defense, reiterated support for Israel’s operations in Gaza when questioned about the self-immolation of a US active duty airman outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC, in protest over Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Aaron Bushnell, 25, set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Monday, saying he did not want to be ‘complicit in genocide’. He was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries. Israel has killed over 29,000 Palestinians in Gaza since 7 October, including more than 12,000 children.