WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Sunday that the United States expected the Israel-Hamas war to escalate through involvement by proxies of Iran, and they asserted that the Biden administration was prepared to respond if American personnel or armed forces became target of any such hostilities.
“This is not what we want, not what we’re looking for. We don’t want escalation,” Blinken said. “We don’t want to see our forces or our personnel come under fire. But if that happens, we’re ready for it,” Austin, echoing Blinken, said.
He said the US had the right to self-defence. The warning came as Israel’s military response to a deadly October 7 attack by Hamas on civilians in communities in southern Israel entered its third week.
Israeli warplanes struck targets across Gaza on Monday, including in areas where Palestinian civilians have been told to seek refuge, after another small aid shipment was allowed into the besieged Hamas-ruled territory.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s PM ordered security forces to pursue the perpetrators of attacks on military bases hosting international coalition advisers, a government military spokesman said. The announcement came after a recent spike in rocket and drone attacks against Iraq military bases which host US and other international forces. There has been an increase in attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria.
The US, the UK, France, Canada and Italy, in a joint statement, extended support to Israel’s right to defend itself but urged the Jewish state to uphold international humanitarian laws and protect civilians. The statement came from the White House after US President Joe Biden initiated a call with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, France President Emmanuel Macron, Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy PM Giorgia Meloni and UK PM Rishi Sunak.
The Palestinian health ministry said two persons were killed at the Jalazone refugee camp near Ramallah.