In an effort to respond to potential assaults on Israel and avert a regional conflict in the unstable Middle East, the United States is making preparations for “every possibility,” according to the White House’s deputy national security adviser, who spoke on Sunday.
The objective, as stated by Jon Finer on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” has been to prevent regional violence since October 7—”the overall goal is to turn the temperature down in the region, deter and defend against those attacks, and avoid regional conflict.”
It seems like we are in a moment of heightened threat, he told CBS’ Ed O’Keefe.
The Middle East is still the most dangerous place on Earth, and that has been the case ever since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and the subsequent invasion of Gaza by Israel. The Biden administration and others have failed in their attempts to achieve a sustainable ceasefire, so the Israel-Hamas war continues.
Israel has claimed responsibility for the assassinations of top Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Lebanon and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, both of which ratcheted up tensions last week. New strikes along Israel’s border with Lebanon also contributed to the spike.
The Pentagon said on Friday that the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier, and the destroyers that accompany it will be transferred from the Pacific to the Middle East. Just like in April, when it was reasonably anticipated that Iran would target Israel with missiles and drones, the US was also sending ballistic air defense units.
On Sunday’s “This Week” with ABC, Finer said that the US is taking several steps to prepare for Iran’s possible reaction to the provocative murder of Haniyeh in Tehran.
Since I don’t believe we want to reveal our hand in such a manner, I will not reveal what I anticipate Iran to do. Finer stated on “This Week” that the team is ready for anything that could happen.
A key component of the efficacy of back-channel communications is their secrecy, he said host George Stephanopoulos. I will refrain from discussing the specifics of the current diplomatic efforts, but I will say that we are working closely with our Israeli friends and other regional partners to prevent a crisis of this kind from escalating.
Haniyeh was assassinated in a guesthouse on Wednesday while in Iran for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s inauguration. Iran stated on Saturday that Haniyeh was murdered by a “short-range projectile,” contradicting widespread claims that he was killed by a concealed explosives.
Concerns regarding the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah troops in Lebanon, as well as the rocket attack that killed twelve children on a soccer field, have been voiced by Finer.
The fact that Hezbollah is Iran’s ally further complicates things.
Finer stated on “Face the Nation” that their goal is to be ready for anything that could happen. Only Americans can be held accountable for that. It is obvious that we would assist our partner Israel in defending itself from any dangers it may encounter.
