Amid growing concerns over an impending Iran attack on Israel, President Joe Biden called a meeting of his top national security advisors on Monday. President Biden revealed that he has been informed of the actions being taken to help Israel in the event that violence breaks out. Secretary of State Antony Blinken simultaneously underlined that officials were working nonstop to prevent a worsening of the situation.
The assassination of Hamas’ political figure, Ismail Haniyeh, has escalated tensions, with Iran attributing the act to Israel and pledging “severe” retaliation. Israel has not acknowledged nor refuted its involvement. A number of countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, have advised their nationals to leave Lebanon because they are concerned that Hezbollah, a political organization and militia supported by Iran, may become involved.
During Monday’s briefing, President Biden was informed that the timing and specifics of a potential Iran attack remained uncertain, as reported by Axios. Secretary Blinken had earlier cautioned his G7 counterparts about a possible attack on Israel by Iran and Hezbollah within 24 to 48 hours.
President Biden released the following statement after the briefing: “We received updates on threats posed by Iran and its proxies, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, and preparations to support Israel should it be attacked again.” In addition, he stated that preparations were underway to counterattacks on American forces “in a manner and place of our choosing.” A suspected rocket attack on a U.S. aircraft earlier on Monday resulted in multiple injuries to U.S. personnel military base in Iraq.
Secretary Blinken, addressing reporters earlier in the day, reiterated that officials were “engaged in intense diplomacy pretty much around the clock with a very simple message: All parties must refrain from escalation.” He asserted that escalation would benefit no one, only leading to more conflict and insecurity.
He added that a ceasefire would “unlock possibilities for more enduring calm not only in Gaza itself, but in other areas where the conflict can spread.” He emphasized how critical it is that everyone make wise choices in the upcoming hours and days.
According to a White House statement, President Biden earlier discussed “efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, including through an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal” with King Abdullah II of Jordan. Aside from expressing “deep concern at the heightened level of tension in the Middle East which threatens to ignite a broader conflict in the region,” the G7 also stated that no nation would gain from additional escalation.
Negotiations aiming for a ceasefire in Gaza have stalled following recent events. Hezbollah denied any role in the July 27 attack that murdered 12 children and teenagers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel blamed Hezbollah for the attack. Days later, an Israeli airstrike in Beirut claimed the lives of four people, including two children, and top Hezbollah military leader Fuad Shukr. Hours later, Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Haniyeh was killed in a “strong blast” caused by a “short-range projectile” fired from outside the residence where he was staying in Tehran. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas remarked in an interview with Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that the assassination would have a “negative impact on the ongoing negotiations.” Israel has not commented on the assassination, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that Israel had delivered “crushing blows” to Iran’s proxy groups recently.
Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, declared that the fight had entered a “new phase,” while the IRGC pledged that Israel will meet “severe punishment at the appropriate time, place, and manner.” This marks the most significant escalation since April when Iran launched approximately 300 drones and missiles at Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate in Syria, which resulted in the death of several senior military commanders.
Flight Suspensions Amid Growing Tensions
Jordan announced on Monday that all airlines must carry an extra 45 minutes of fuel in case its airspace is closed due to a regional crisis. All flights by Lufthansa to Beirut, Tehran, and Tel Aviv have been halted until August 12. Due to the ongoing crisis, Delta Airlines has also suspended flights to Tel Aviv until at least August 31.
The UK Foreign Office has urged British nationals to depart Lebanon and recommended against making any trip plans there. Additionally, it recommends against visiting the northern part of Israel that borders Lebanon.
The Gaza conflict began on October 7, following an offensive by Hamas and other terrorist groups on Israel that resulted in around 1,200 fatalities and 251 captured individuals in Gaza. Israel’s subsequent ground invasion of Gaza has claimed the lives of nearly 39,600 Palestinians, according to the health ministry run by Hamas. Since the start of the conflict, Hezbollah and Israeli troops have traded nearly daily strikes, resulting in thousands of displaced people and hundreds of casualties on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border.
Supported by Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas are members of Iran’s “axis of resistance,” a confederation of political and militant organizations hostile to Israel and its principal backer, the United States.
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