Kirby: Iran is still determined to attack Israel The U.S. National Security Council spokesman added,"Hopefully it doesn't come to that."
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks to reporters at the White House, Oct. 3, 2023. Photo by Oliver Contreras/White House.
(August 15, 2024 / JNS)
U.S. intelligence indicates that Tehran has not backed down from its threat to attack Israel, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in Washington on Thursday.
“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that,” Kirby added during an interview with CNN.
There have been conflicting reports as to whether Tehran will attack Israel and what form it could take since Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered a response, hours after Hamas terrorist chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital on July 31.
The Islamic Republic on Tuesday rejected calls by Western countries to back down from its threat to attack the Jewish state.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that the calls from France, Germany and Britain to exercise restraint “lack political logic and contradict principles of international law.”
Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah have accused Israel of targeting Haniyeh, but Jerusalem has not taken responsibility for his death.
Separately, Hezbollah has vowed revenge for the killing in Beirut of its top commander Fuad Shukr, which Israel did take credit for.Kirby also commented on Thursday’s Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha, Qatar, saying that the U.S. “urges all parties” to participate in the negotiations.
Hamas is refusing to send representatives to the session but an official briefed on the talks told Reuters that the terrorist group would be consulted after they conclude. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden said he expects Iran to hold off attacking Israel if a ceasefire agreement is reached. Asked by reporters during a visit to New Orleans on Tuesday whether a deal could prevent a promised attack, the president replied, “That’s my expectation.”
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The military says in a short statement that the body was recovered in collaboration with internal security agency Shin Bet, but did not identify the killed captive.
“Your brutality is an imminent danger to your prisoners,” Qassam Brigades wrote next to the image of the young man in a white shroud, calling his killing “an unfortunate incident” that took place against orders.
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Palestinians attacked by Israeli soldiers, settlers in occupied West Bank
Israeli soldiers detained a Palestinian man, one of among at least 30 today, after assaulting him at his home in Masafer Yatta south of Hebron.
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Gaza’s death toll of 40,000 is ‘grim milestone’: UN rights chief
The UN’s high commissioner for human rights has issued a statement on Gaza’s mounting death toll, which exceeded 40,000 today, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
“Today marks a grim milestone for the world,” said Volker Turk. “This unimaginable situation is overwhelmingly due to recurring failures by the [Israeli military] to comply with the rules of war.”
“As the world reflects on and considers its inability to prevent this carnage, I urge all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire, lay down their arms and stop the killing once and for all,” he added.
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If you’re just joining us
Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed 40 people in the last 24 hours, bringing the war’s overall death toll there to more than 40,000, according to its health ministry.
An Israeli drone attack in the occupied West Bank’s Balata camp killed two people and injured seven, including a woman and a child, reported the Wafa news agency.
A Hamas fighter guarding an Israeli captive killed the captive in revenge, after an Israeli attack killed several of the fighter’s own children, announced the spokesperson for Hamas’s military wing, Abu Obeida.
The guard’s actions “do not represent our ethics and religious teachings”, said the Hamas spokesperson.
Another round of ceasefire talks, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US, has kicked off in Doha, according to the Reuters news agency.
Israel announced its CIA chief would participate in the talks. Hamas, which wants any proposal to track with a US-backed ceasefire outline shared back in May, has told mediators it is willing to meet after the discussions.
Palestinians in Gaza, disheartened by previous failed ceasefire negotiations, are not holding out much hope for this round’s success, reported Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud from the enclave.
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