President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are scheduled to meet with national security officials in the White House Situation Room on Monday.
This urgent meeting comes as Iran has reiterated its intent to retaliate against Israel for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent Hamas leader, in Tehran.
The White House confirmed that the meeting will address the latest developments in the Middle East. The assassination of Haniyeh has intensified fears of a broader regional conflict.
According to the source, despite Israel’s silence on the strike in Iran, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed revenge against Israel.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed Group of Seven (G7) leaders on a conference call that Iran and its ally Hezbollah might launch attacks as early as Monday.
The call was made to urge both Iran and Hezbollah to limit their aggression to prevent a full-scale war, according to Axios.
G7 nations have also reached out to Iran to help curb retaliation and avoid a regional conflict, Bloomberg reported.
An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson stated that while Iran seeks to avoid escalating tensions, it believes it has the right under international law to punish Israel.
The situation has been tense in the region following Haniyeh’s death, which followed the killing of Fuad Shukr, a key military leader of Hezbollah, by Israel in Beirut.
This string of assassinations has further heightened regional tensions, coming just over three months after Iran’s large-scale attack on Israel involving hundreds of missiles and drones.
Some analysts believe Tehran may not have the means to launch another massive assault like the one in April.
Instead, it might retaliate through its proxies, including Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel is engaged in a “multifront war” with Iran and its allies, following a surprise Hamas attack on southern Israel in early October that resulted in around 1,200 deaths and 250 kidnappings.
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The ongoing conflict in Gaza has already claimed nearly 40,000 lives, with Israel’s efforts focused on eliminating the Hamas threat.
Israel has also endured rocket attacks from Hezbollah over the past 10 months. White House Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer emphasized efforts to prevent the situation from escalating further.