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US Threatens ‘Cataclysmic’ Consequences
If Iran Retaliates for Assassination
Dave DeCamp / Antiwar.com & Al Arabiya
(August 18, 2024) — A US official threatened Iran on Friday that it would face “cataclysmic” consequences if it attacked Israel in response to the Israeli killing of Hamas’s political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran. [See related story below — EAW]
A senior US official told AFP that the US “would encourage the Iranians — and I know many are — not to move down that road because the consequences could be quite cataclysmic, particularly for Iran.”
The US has vowed to defend Israel if it faces a major attack from Iran and its allies and has deployed more military assets to the region for that purpose. Israel is also expecting an escalation from Hezbollah in response to the killing of Fuad Shukr, a Hezbollah military commander who was targeted by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on July 30. Haniyeh was killed only a few hours later, early in the morning of July 31.
According to a report from The New York Times, Iran is expected to delay its reprisal attack to allow Gaza ceasefire negotiations to make progress. The report said Israel now believes the attack is not imminent and will take place at a later date.
The US official also said an Iranian attack could impede Gaza ceasefire negotiations, which the official characterized as “what we think is the best opportunity at a very comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal that we have had in many months.”
On Sunday, Hamas rejected the latest ceasefire proposal from the US because it included new demands from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hamas wants to implement a deal proposed by President Biden back in May, but Netanyahu is sticking to his new conditions, which make a deal unlikely.
US Warns Iran Not to Retaliate Against Israel for Its Assassination of Hamas Leader
(August 16, 2024) — A US official warned Friday that Iran would face “cataclysmic” consequences and derail momentum toward a Gaza truce if it strikes Israel in response to the killing of a top Hamas official.
The United States “would encourage the Iranians — and I know many are — not to move down that road, because the consequences could be quite cataclysmic, particularly for Iran,” a senior US official told reporters on customary condition of anonymity.
President Joe Biden earlier Friday said that a ceasefire in the 10-month Gaza war was closer than ever after two days of talks in Qatar at which US mediators presented a proposal to narrow gaps.
“It was Hamas, a proxy of Iran, that started this war on October 7, and it would be ironic if Iran was do something to basically derail what we think is the best opportunity at a very comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal that we have had in many months,” the US official said.
Iran has warned Israel of a response to the July 31 strike in Tehran that killed Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, for which Israel is widely suspected but has not claimed responsibility.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said earlier Friday in a joint meeting with his British and French counterparts that he expected support in “attacking significant targets” inside Iran if the Islamic republic strikes Israel.
Asked about Katz’s comments, the US official said only that the United States, with Britain and France, was preparing for “every possible contingency.”
“We are going to do everything that is needed to defend Israel against any attacks from Iran,” he said.
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