But suddenly the possibility of an all-in conflict of unpredictable breadth between Israel and its Iran-backed enemies, into which the United States would most likely be drawn, had become a dangerous possibility. He was killed by an explosive device planted in an Iranian guesthouse weeks earlier, and both Iran and Hamas accused Israel of doing it. Haniyeh, moreover, was a top Hamas negotiator in cease-fire talks, raising questions about whether those negotiations would be put on a long hold. Nonetheless, Austin, who was on a visit to the Philippines, went on to suggest that there was still room for diplomacy. On his recent visit to Washington, Netanyahu repeatedly referred to the war in Gaza as really a war against Iran and its proxies, and spoke of continuing until full victory.

Source: New York Times August 05, 2024 01:05 UTC