On Thursday, the USA warned that Iran could retaliate for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Recent Israeli assassinations of Hezbollah’s top military commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran have heightened regional tensions, with Iran and Hezbollah vowing retaliation, while the US pledged support for Israel in the event of an attack.
Samuel Warburg, the US State Department’s regional spokesperson told Erem News, “Iran, with its long-term strategy, will undoubtedly respond, but our official stance is that the US and its allies must be ready for any reaction at any time.”
“Recent destabilizing activities have been observed, making it difficult to predict the outcome, which is why President Biden has ordered the deployment of military assets to the region as a signal, not a provocation,” he added.
Moreover, Warburg urged regional actors, including Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis “to avoid escalation,” saying, “It would destabilize the region further.”
On the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, Warburg reiterated that the “US opposes any occupation in Gaza, forced displacement of Palestinians, or territorial reductions,” emphasizing that “the US position excludes Hamas from future governance in Gaza.”
“There is no room for Hamas in leadership or government after this war,” Warburg said. “Neither Israel nor any other nation can tolerate any entity using Palestinian land as a base for attacks against Israel.”
On October 7, Israel launched a major offensive against Gaza following an operation by Hamas, which was a reaction to intensified Israeli actions against Palestinians.
Since then, at least 40,265 people have been killed in Gaza, including more than 16,500 children, and more than 93,144 have been injured. In the West Bank, 640 people, including more than 147 children, have been killed, according to Al-Jazeera’s tracker.
