US says escalation of Middle East conflict not inevitabl

The White House said on Wednesday (July 31) it does not see an escalation of conflict as inevitable following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and the U.S. is still working to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

 

Speaking at a daily briefing, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said it was too early to say whether the latest events in the Middle East would affect prospects for a ceasefire agreement.

 

He said U.S. President Joe Biden had been briefed on the developments in the region.

 

"We have and will maintain a level of readiness to preserve our national security interest in the region. It's not like we take a blind eye to what Iran is capable of doing and has shown their capability of doing in the region. It's not like we've demonstrated an unwillingness to defend Israel from threats in the region, including from Iran if that happens, and we maintain that capability in that readiness to do so.

 

Now, I would also say, lastly, Peter, what I said earlier, we don't want to see an escalation and everything we've been doing since the 7th of October, we've been trying to manage that risk, those risks go up and down every day. They are certainly up right now. They don't make the task of de-escalation, deterrence and dissuasion, which is the goal, any any less complex," Kirby stated.