The Biden administration reportedly believes that Iran will launch an attack on Israel shortly.
According to three American sources cited by Axios, Iran’s anticipated attack, viewed as retaliation for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, may mirror the large-scale assault on April 13, possibly involving Lebanese Hezbollah.
However, the administration is concerned about the difficulty of assembling the same regional and international coalition that assisted Israel in April, when it faced a barrage of drones and missiles, as per Adnkronos news agency.
During remarks at Andrews Air Force Base, where he was present to welcome prisoners exchanged with Russia, President Joe Biden acknowledged that the killing of Ismail Haniyeh complicates efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with Hamas.
Biden, who had a “very direct” phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressed significant concern about the escalating tensions in the Middle East. He emphasized the necessity of advancing towards a ceasefire.
Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, is scheduled to be buried in Qatar today. His body was transported to Doha from Iran, following a funeral in Tehran attended by thousands. The funeral prayer for Haniyeh is set to take place after Friday prayer at Qatar’s national mosque, with burial in the city of Lusail.