A Pentagon inspector general report released Friday revealed that US military units lacked proper equipment, staffing, and training during Operation Neptune Solace, the humanitarian mission that built a temporary floating pier to deliver aid into Gaza. The Defense Department-led effort was hampered by significant operational challenges that ultimately contributed to equipment damage totaling approximately $31 million and dozens of personnel injuries, according to Stars and Stripes, the US military newspaper.
The report highlighted persistent problems throughout the operation, which ran from March 2024 to July 2024 under former US President Joe Biden, noting "the [Defense Department] repeatedly encountered challenges and inefficiencies during [Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore] operations and exercises, including during Operation Neptune Solace in Gaza." Military watchdogs identified that years of divestment in mission-essential watercraft and a breakdown in joint training between Army and Navy units created severe operational difficulties.
Operation Neptune Solace was established to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza after Israel launched a military campaign following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The initiative aimed to provide critical supplies without placing US troops directly in the conflict zone, but the mission faced numerous setbacks, including severe weather conditions that damaged equipment and contributed to personnel injuries, including one service member fatality.
The inspector general found that "the Army and Navy did not meet service-level standards for equipment and unit readiness to perform JLOTS operations," and identified "low equipment mission-capable rates and low manning and training levels" among the forces deployed. Navy Beach Group One "had to pull together every person they could to sufficiently staff vessels in accordance with Navy requirements," which delayed the deployment of some watercraft critical to the mission.
Despite becoming operational on May 14, 2024, the pier was in service for just two weeks before officials were forced to suspend operations and remove it from shore for repairs due to damage from rough weather. The structure was again removed from Gaza's shore in late June because of unfavorable conditions and was eventually kept at the Israeli port of Ashdod until officials announced the operation's end on July 17.
The Pentagon watchdog highlighted significant equipment readiness issues, with the Navy reporting 27 watercraft and equipment items damaged during the mission. US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, reported 62 injuries among personnel supporting the operation, though investigators couldn't determine whether these occurred on-duty, off-duty, or resulted from pre-existing conditions.
A key finding in the report was that "the Army and Navy did not organize, train, and equip to a common joint standard for JLOTS operations and exercises." This deficiency stemmed partly from the US Transportation Command not establishing joint mission standards and requirements for the services to work together effectively.
Officials from both Army and Navy logistics directorates "expressed concern at the services' divestment of JLOTS capabilities and stated their belief that the DoD's current JLOTS capabilities were not sufficient to meet projected needs," according to the report. The inspector general recommended that both services review their watercraft units to determine necessary improvements in force structure, training, and equipment maintenance, while also recommending that TRANSCOM develop a comprehensive plan to meet its JLOTS responsibilities.
