U.S. President Joe Biden held urgent crisis talks on Monday, concerning a potential Iranian counterattack on Israel as his administration worked tirelessly to prevent an all-out war in the Middle East. The high-stakes discussions were triggered by a suspected Israeli attack that killed Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. President Biden, along Secretary of State Antony Blinken, engaged in frantic diplomatic efforts to ease the escalating tensions. Biden reached out to King Abdullah II of Jordan, a key ally that had previously assisted in downing Iranian drones and missiles during an April confrontation. Simultaneously, Blinken made calls to top officials in Qatar and Egypt, pivotal intermediaries in seeking a ceasefire in the ongoing 10-month Israel-Hamas conflict.
“We are engaged in intense diplomacy, pretty much around the clock, with a very simple message — all parties must refrain from escalation,” Blinken stated following a White House meeting with other top officials. Emphasizing the importance of a ceasefire, Blinken added, “It’s also critical that we break this cycle by reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.” He had also been in communication with G7 counterparts and Iraq’s prime minister since Sunday.
He also tweeted, “Earlier Vice President Kamala Harris and I were briefed in the Situation Room on developments in the Middle East. We received updates on threats posed by Iran and its proxies, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, and preparations to support Israel should it be attacked again. We also discussed the steps we are taking to defend our forces and respond to any attack against our personnel in a manner and place of our choosing.”
Earlier, @VP and I were briefed in the Situation Room on developments in the Middle East.
We received updates on threats posed by Iran and its proxies, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, and preparations to support Israel should it be attacked again.
We also… pic.twitter.com/kbRcVkW3ex
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 5, 2024
The urgency of the situation was underscored by a rocket attack on a U.S. base in Iraq on Monday, which resulted in injuries to multiple U.S. personnel, further heightening regional tensions.
President Biden, who had hoped to end the Gaza war and pursue a landmark peace deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia in his final months in office, found himself instead bolstering the U.S. military presence in the Middle East as a show of strength against Iran. Despite his staunch support for Israel’s war against Hamas, Biden expressed frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the killing of Haniyeh, a key figure in the ceasefire negotiations.
Blinken, warning of a potential imminent Iranian strike, renewed his appeal for Biden’s ceasefire plan, which aims to halt the fighting in Gaza and secure the return of hostages taken during the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. “A ceasefire will unlock possibilities for more enduring calm, not only in Gaza itself but in other areas where the conflict could spread,” Blinken asserted during a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Highlighting the need for cooperation, he remarked, “What it really comes down to, really, is all parties finding ways to come to an agreement, not look for reasons to delay or to say no.” He stressed the urgency of making the right choices in the coming hours and days.
President Biden convened with his national security team, including Vice President Kamala Harris, in the White House’s Situation Room. Upon returning from a weekend in Delaware, Biden headed straight into the Oval Office without addressing reporters. The White House confirmed that Biden and King Abdullah discussed efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, including an immediate ceasefire and a hostage release deal. The Jordanian royal court’s readout of the call emphasized the need for “an immediate and permanent ceasefire to end the catastrophe in Gaza” and for “ceasing all escalatory measures.”
The backdrop of these tensions includes a direct Iranian missile attack on Israel in April, marking a significant escalation in their long-standing conflict following an Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic building in Syria. The U.S. played a critical role in intercepting the drones and missiles, minimizing the damage. However, Jordan, which maintains a delicate balance with its large Palestinian population and a peace deal with Israel, has been clear about not wanting to become a battleground.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller reflected on the April incident, noting, “We were able to chart a path that ultimately got us through that time without tipping into a wider war.” He warned, “But every time you have one of these cycles of escalation, you have a risk of parties miscalculating, you have the risk of them taking actions that get out of hand.”
