US President Joe Biden warned Iran against intervening in Israel's conflict with Hamas out of concern for a wider regional conflict, while continued Israeli air strikes around the Gaza Strip moved hundreds of thousands.
Israeli aircraft have bombarded Gazan targets for days in retaliation for a weekend attack by Hamas militants who breached the enclave's border fence and rampaged through towns and villages, murdering 1,200, injuring over 2,700, and seizing dozens of captives, according to the Israeli military.
Iran's Potential Role in Hamas Attack
Per Reuters, the United States has gathered intelligence indicating that senior Iranian government officials were surprised by the multi-pronged assault. While the White House has publicly stated that it has not yet seen concrete evidence of direct Iranian involvement in the planning or execution of the Hamas attack, discussions and investigations continue.
A US official, speaking anonymously, shared that the intelligence regarding Iranian involvement had informed the White House's public statements.
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby noted, "We haven't seen anything that tells they have specifically cut checks to support this set of attacks, or that they were involved in the training."
President Joe Biden, in meetings with Jewish leaders and nationally televised speeches, expressed his horror and condemnation of the Hamas onslaught. He was particularly incensed by reports of terrorists beheading children, a gruesome act he acknowledged publicly.
However, the White House later clarified that Biden's comments were based on various media reports citing Israeli officials, and he had not seen independent confirmation. Biden emphasized the need to combat hate and remember the lessons of the Holocaust.
He underscored the significance of speaking out against atrocities committed by Hamas, stating, "Silence is complicity. I refuse to be silent."
The roundtable discussion, hosted by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, reiterated the unwavering support for Israel, according to Washington Examiner.
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US Actions in Gaza Conflict
The United States is actively working to secure the release of around 150 hostages held by Hamas. While details were not provided, President Biden assured that a comprehensive approach is being taken to address the hostage crisis in Israel.
Regarding the possibility of deploying American troops into Gaza to recover hostages, the US does not have sufficient information to make such decisions. The captives' whereabouts remain unknown, but discussions with Israel and other regional allies are ongoing.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the US commitment to Israel's defense and the effort to prevent additional actors from joining the conflict. He will meet with Israeli leaders and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during his visit to the region.
The United States is rallying international support for Israel. At an event organized by the American Jewish Committee in New York, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield passionately called for solidarity with Israel and condemned Hamas's attacks.
She stressed the importance of sharing the stories of victims and unequivocally denouncing Hamas by name. The eyes of the world are on the current situation, and the international community is urged to stand with Israel and combat antisemitism.
Applying the lessons of the Holocaust to the present, Thomas-Greenfield emphasized, "Never Again is now," Times of Israel Reported.
