US has communicated need to not escalate conflict to Iran and Israel, says Blinken
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Aug 6 (Reuters) – The United States has told Iran and Israel that the conflict in the Middle East cannot be allowed to escalate, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday, even as the Pentagon warned it would not tolerate attacks against its forces in the region.
The Middle East is bracing for a probable new wave of attacks from Iran and its allies following the killing last week of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. An attack on a base in Iraq Monday injured five U.S. troops and two contractors, according to U.S. Blaming Iran-backed groups, according to the Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Officials had been in constant communication with allies and regional partners, and there was a “clear consensus” that no one should escalate things, said the top U.S. diplomat.
“We’ve been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We’ve communicated that message directly to Israel,” Blinken said.
While this nation will not let up on the defense of Israel against attacks, Blinken said, everyone in the region should be aware of the dangers of escalation and miscalculation. “Further attacks only raise the risk of dangerous outcomes that no one can predict and fully control.” It has said it will send more fighter jets and Navy warships to the Middle East in a move by Washington to beef up defenses in the area.
“What I’ve been focused on is making sure that we’re doing everything we can to put measures in place to protect our troops and also make sure that we’re in a good position to aid them in defense of Israel if called upon to do that,” Austin said. Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, was assassinated in the Iranian capital of Tehran last week. It drew threats of revenge by Iran on Israel, which has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
Coupled with the killing of the senior military commander of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, by Israel in a strike on Beirut last week, concern intensified that the conflict in Gaza was turning into a wider Middle East war .Iran has blamed the U.S. for involvement in the death of Haniyeh, citing Washington’s long-standing support for Israel.
Earlier Monday, a rocket attack on al Asad airbase in western Iraq wounded seven U.S. personnel. Austin was unequivocal, saying the United States “will not tolerate” attacks on its personnel. Asked whether he knew who was responsible for the attack, Austin said the U.S. was sure it was an Iran-backed militia but had not narrowed it down to which one.
“We’re still investigating to determine that,” he said.
Iraq’s military condemned on Tuesday what it called “reckless” actions against bases on its soil and said it had captured a truck with a rocket launcher.
A small truck was seized with a rocket launcher fixed on the back. Eight unfired rockets were dismantled, the statement said. It’s a rare ally to both the U.S. and Iran, hosting 2,500 U.S. troops with Iran-backed militias associated with its security forces; it has seen spiraling tit-for-tat attacks since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October.
