US says strikes on Tehran, Beirut ‘don’t help’ tensions

Washington, United States – AFP

An Israeli strike that killed a Hezbollah commander in Beirut and the killing of the political leader of Hamas in Tehran “don’t help” regional tensions but there are no signs of an imminent wider conflict, the White House said Wednesday.

“These reports over the last 24, 48 hours certainly don’t help with the temperature going down,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters when asked about the attacks.

“We’re obviously concerned about escalation.”

Kirby downplayed the risk of an immediate descent into an all-out war.

“We don’t really think that an escalation is inevitable and there’s no signs that an escalation is imminent,” he said.

But he said Washington was carefully monitoring developments.

“It’s not like we’re brushing off concerns at all. We’re watching this very, very closely and it’s been a chief concern of the president,” said Kirby.

The strikes on two of Israel’s arch foes came less than a week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House for talks with President Joe Biden aimed at pushing a cease-fire in Gaza.

Hamas blamed an Israeli strike for the killing of its political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Israel declined to comment on the attack but Netanyahu on Wednesday said his country had delivered “crushing blows” to its enemies, and explicitly mentioned the killing of Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr in south Beirut.