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U.S. President Joe Biden said he does not expect Iran to launch retaliatory attacks on Israel in retaliation for the assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders if a deal is reached to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages.
Asked if there was any connection between a possible attack by Iran and its proxies and an agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war, Biden said: “That’s my prediction.”
Washington is preparing for Tehran or its proxies to launch attacks on Israel this week in retaliation for the assassinations of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military leader Fouad Shukr in Beirut.
The United States has sent additional warships and fighter jets to the Middle East to ward off Israeli attacks.
The Biden administration has stepped up diplomatic efforts to try to prevent or limit Iranian retaliation, with Brett McGurk, the White House’s top Middle East official, visiting Egypt and Qatar and senior adviser Amos Hochstein due to visit Lebanon.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar plan to broker ceasefire talks on Thursday to pressure Israel and Hamas into an agreement to release the remaining Israeli hostages being held in the Gaza Strip and end 10 months of fighting in the area, which Palestinian medical workers say has killed about 40,000 Palestinians and forced almost the entire population to flee.
Hamas on Sunday accused Israel of trying to prolong the talks without any intention of reaching an agreement, and called on mediators to press the Israeli government to implement the plan President Biden outlined in late May.
“The United States has worked diplomatically and militarily to prevent further escalation by Iran and its terrorist proxies against Israel and to support broader de-escalation in the region, including through a ceasefire, the Gaza hostage agreement, and reconciliation talks along the Blue Line,” the official said.
U.S. officials said Tuesday that an Iranian attack on Israel did not appear imminent.
One person familiar with the matter said there were apparent discussions within Iran about how to respond to the assassination and that Tehran would be careful to keep its preparations under wraps.
This is in contrast to April, when Iran threatened its first direct attack on Israel from Iranian territory in retaliation for an Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria that killed several senior Iranian commanders.
Israel retaliated with missile attacks on Iran, but the damage from direct retaliatory strikes was limited and further escalation of tensions was averted.
An Iranian regime insider told the Financial Times that Iran had been deliberately vague about its plans for retaliation as part of a “psychological warfare campaign to strain Israel’s military, security and logistical capabilities and destabilize the population of the occupied territories.”
Meanwhile, the US State Department notified Congress on Tuesday of a $20 billion arms sale to Israel, including fighter jets, advanced air-to-air missiles and tank ammunition. The sale is a long-term contract and the goods are expected to take several years to arrive.
