Why the need to announce this....
Biden, Harris head to Situation Room as Iran threatens attack on Israel by Miranda Nazzaro - 08/05/24 11:22 AM ET
President Biden and Vice President Harris will meet with national security officials in the White House Situation Room on Monday, as Iran reiterates its intention to punish Israel for the apparent assassination of top Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
The meeting will focus on developments in the Middle East, the White House said. Concerns about a wider regional conflict have escalated with the assassination of Haniyeh.
While Israel has not acknowledged the strike in Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to seek revenge against Israel after Haniyeh’s death.
Attacks by Iran and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group could come as soon as Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told leaders with the Group of Seven on a conference call Sunday, Axios reported, citing three sources briefed on the call.
The call was arranged in a last-minute effort to urge Iran and Hezbollah to limit their attacks as much as possible to prevent an all-out war, Axios added.
G7 members have reached out to Iran to minimize the retaliation for the sake of preventing a regional war, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
A spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry told reporters Monday that the Islamic Republic does not want to deepen tensions but has the right, within the framework of international law, to punish Israel, according to Bloomberg.
“Reinforcing stability and security in the region will be achieved by punishing the aggressor and creating deterrence against Israel and its adventurism,” the spokesperson said, per Bloomberg.
more
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4811372-iran-israel-conflict-haniyeh/
