The US has already deployed additional fighter jets and warplanes to the region to support Israel amid reports that Iran may retaliate.
US President Joe Biden is set to meet on Monday with his national security team in the White House Situation Room to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East, Al-Jazeera reported.
In related news, the Washington Post, citing sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, indicated that “the Biden administration informed US lawmakers that Iran’s retaliatory strikes may happen as early as Monday or Tuesday”.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who is expected to announce her 2024 running mate in the coming days, will also be present at the meeting, according to the report.
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The US has already deployed additional fighter jets and warplanes to the region to support Israel amid reports that Iran may retaliate following the assassination of Hamas’ political bureau leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran, on July 31.
John Kirby, the White House National Security Communications Advisor, told Fox News that Washington is moving an aircraft carrier to the Middle East for what he described as “purely defensive reasons.” He emphasized that the main objective is to de-escalate tensions in the region.
Calls for Restraint
Although Israel has not commented on the incident, Iran has blamed Israel for Haniyeh’s assassination and has vowed to respond.
Haniyeh’s killing occurred just hours after an Israeli raid in the southern suburbs of Beirut that killed prominent Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed his G7 counterparts in a conference call on Sunday that an attack, which he believes will be a joint effort by Iran and Hezbollah, could occur within 24 to 48 hours from Monday, according to the US news website Axios.
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Axios also reported that Blinken urged his counterparts to apply diplomatic pressure on Tehran, Hezbollah, and Israel “to maintain maximum restraint.”
“Unlike the Iranian attack against Israel on April 13 — in which Iran launched nearly 350 attack drones and missiles toward Israel, and Israel, the U.S. and their allies worked together to intercept most of them — Blinken said it’s unclear what form the retaliation will take,” Axios reported.
‘Preemptive Strikes’
Israel has reiterated its military readiness to confront a potential Iranian response to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh and has also left the option open for carrying out “preemptive strikes” against Iran and Hezbollah.
The Israeli military stated that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi chaired a session on Monday “to assess the situation and approve plans for various scenarios.”
This occurred alongside a visit by US Central Command Commander Michael Kurilla to Israel, where he held discussions amid US concerns about the possibility of a major war erupting in the Middle East.
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The Israeli military said that Halevi and Kurilla conducted “an assessment of dealing with threats in the Middle East.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, during a visit to the Israeli Air Force command center and a meeting with Air Force Commander Tomer Bar on Monday, said that Israel must be prepared to launch a swift offensive if Iran carries out a military response.
“Our enemies are closely watching every move we make due to the air force capabilities demonstrated over the past year. However, we must be prepared for anything, including a rapid transition to the offensive,” Gallant said in the statement, according to Al-Jazeera.
‘Decisive Blow’
The head of Hamas’s political bureau was assassinated early Wednesday morning at his residence in Tehran.
Initial Iranian investigations concluded that the assassination was carried out using a short-range projectile.
Iran has vowed to respond to the operation, with Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami stating that Israel will receive a “decisive blow at the right place and time.”
Russia’s Shoigu in Tehran – Iran Declares: End of American Era
Meanwhile, on Monday, Russian Security Council Secretary General Sergei Shoigu arrived in Tehran for discussions with senior Iranian officials, following the assassination of Hamas’ political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital.
Shoigu, who previously served as Russia’s defense minister, is visiting at the invitation of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary-General Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Iranian media reported.
During the meeting, Pezeshkian reportedly emphasized that Russia has stood by Iran during challenging times, and he identified the strengthening of relations with this strategic partner as a key priority in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
(PC, AJA, Agencies)
