U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told Israeli officials he expects their war in Gaza to be brought to close within a month, sources claimed.

Blinken, speaking with officials on his latest diplomatic visit to Israel last week, said the US would continue to support the IDF’s efforts to wipe out Hamas in Gaza.

But he also warned that President Biden expected the war to be wrapped up within three months of October 7, given the collateral damage to Gaza’s civilian population, sources told The Times – giving the IDF until early January to achieve their objectives.

[This is nonsense on stilts, which is not to say that Blinken didn’t tell this to the Israelis. The Israelis are not going to accept an artificial deadline in Gaza that leaves Hamas in the field there to launch more attacks. This leak looks more for domestic consumption here. — Ed]