Reuters. U.S. President Joe Biden, asked if he expected Iran to skip a retaliatory strike on Israel if a Gaza ceasefire deal was reached, said on Tuesday (August 13): "That’s my expectation."
Biden spoke to reporters after arriving in New Orleans. His comment came after Reuters, citing three senior Iranian officials, reported that only a ceasefire deal stemming from possible talks this week would hold Iran back from direct retaliation against Israel.
Iran has vowed a severe response to Haniyeh's killing, which took place as he visited Tehran late last month and which it blamed on Israel. Israel has neither confirmed or denied its involvement. The U.S. Navy has deployed warships and a submarine to the Middle East to bolster Israeli defenses.
One of the sources, a senior Iranian security official, said Iran, along with allies such as Hezbollah, would launch a direct attack if the Gaza talks fail or it perceives Israel is dragging out negotiations. The sources did not say how long Iran would allow for talks to progress before responding.
