WASHINGTON: The United States has warned Iran in recent days against launching another missile attack on Israel, adding Washington will not be able to restrain Israel from responding with force if it attacks again, Reuters reported while citing Axios according to a US official and a former Israeli official.
Earlier, Axios reported that Israeli intelligence suggests Iran is preparing to launch an attack on Israel from Iraqi territory in the coming days, possibly before the US presidential election on November 5.
Earlier on Saturday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that Iran would retaliate against Israel for its ongoing military actions. Khamenei warned that any assaults on Iran or its allies would provoke a “tooth-breaking response” from Tehran. He warned the US and Israel of strong response for actions in the region.
Meanwhile, American B-52 Stratofortress bombers have arrived in the Middle East. The US military’s Central Command confirmed that bombers from the 5th Bomb Wing in Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, have arrived in the region to defend its personnel and interests against potential Iranian aggression.
Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said that any provocations from Iran or its allies would be met with a robust American response.
Meanwhile, ceasefire efforts to halt ongoing conflicts involving Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah appear to be at a standstill. Hamas has expressed opposition to a temporary truce. Senior spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri said that current ceasefire proposals fail to address key demands, including a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians.
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According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 43,314 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza in the ongoing Israeli bombardment campaign. The ministry stated that another 102,019 people have been wounded since October 7, 2023.
US officials have been attempting to negotiate ceasefires in both Gaza and Lebanon ahead of the upcoming presidential election, but progress remains limited. Hamas and other groups maintain that any ceasefire terms must include Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed that security remains his top priority, signaling that military operations will continue regardless of international pressure.
