US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan put Iran on hold on Sunday, threatening military retaliation if Tehran directly targets American troops in the Israel-Hamas war.
Sullivan said there had been an “increased threat to our forces across the region” since the conflict erupted on October 7 and noted attacks on two facilities with US troops launched by Iran-backed militant groups in eastern Syria on Thursday.
“We said that if our army is attacked, we will respond. We answered [against the militant groups]. If [US troops are] attack again, we will respond again,” Sullivan told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “We are vigilant because we see a heightened threat.”
Iran-backed forces have attacked US troops or assets at least 19 times in the past two weeks, according to Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.).
Top officials in Tehran have stepped up their rhetoric against the US as the war rages. Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, for example, has warned that the US “will not escape this fire.”
Sullivan also lamented the death of Palestinians since the war broke out after Hamas’ bloody surprise attack on Israel, triggering an all-out war.
The US has repeatedly warned Iran — whose president, Ebrahim Raisi, recently railed against Israel at the UN — over growing violence in the region. President of Iran/AFP via Getty Images
“Every death is a tragedy. Every human life is sacred, whether it’s Palestinian, Israeli, American or any life,” he told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
“Hamas is trying hard to make this difficult. They hide in between, integrate among the civilians and use the civilians as human shields, but that doesn’t lessen Israel’s responsibility in this regard,” Sullivan said. “And we’ve had a private conversation.”
“The Israeli government should take all the means available to them to distinguish between terrorists who are legitimate military targets and civilians,” he said. “I’m not going to react to every strike, every move they make.”
Behind the scenes, the Biden administration is reportedly encouraging Israel to delay a long-awaited ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, home to Hamas, in hopes of buying time to recover hostages and evacuate civilians.
Israel said it began “expanding” its ground offensive in Gaza over the weekend.
Since the war broke out, more than 1,400 Israelis and 33 Americans have been killed, according to officials.
On the Palestinian side, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry estimates that the death toll there has exceeded 8,000. Many observers have questioned the reliability of the figures because of Hamas’ track record.
President Biden traveled to Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Oct. 18. 2023. REUTERS
President Biden will speak with Netanyahu on Sunday, Sullivan confirmed.
The White House’s top adviser insisted that recovering the US hostages was a top priority and that the administration was working “tirelessly” to make it happen.
Currently, there are believed to be about 10 unaccounted for Americans in Israel, and Hamas is suspected of holding at least 230 people in total, according to US and Israeli officials.
Sullivan also criticized the activities of Israeli extremists after reports of an Israeli settler killing a Palestinian civilian in the West Bank on Saturday.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also condemned Israel’s extremist violence. AFP via Getty Images
“We believe the Prime Minister [Benjamin] “Netanyahu does have a responsibility to rein in the extremist settlers in the West Bank who, as President Biden said a few days ago, are pouring fuel on the fire,” Sullivan said.
Biden denounced Israeli settler violence last week during a press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“It has to stop. They need to be responsible. It has to stop now,” Biden said at the time.
The Biden administration is trying to push Congress to pass an additional $106 billion aid package that includes about $14 billion for Israel as well as funding for Ukraine, the border and Taiwan.
House Republicans have sought to separate Israel and Ukraine aid allocations for a vote.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
