White House: We are monitoring current developments in the Middle East; Biden administration focused on preventing a 'widespread regional war'

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor, stated at a White House press conference on Thursday, August 2, that the United States is monitoring current developments in the Middle East. Sullivan said that the Biden administration's focus since October 7 has been on preventing the escalation of conflicts into a widespread regional war, which he noted has always been a risk and continues to be. The National Security Advisor emphasized that U.S. efforts aimed at 'deterrence, defense, and de-escalation' to prevent the outbreak of a widespread regional war will continue. Jake Sullivan added that President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have a phone call in a few hours. In response to a deadly rocket attack by Hezbollah on northern Israel last week that left 12 dead and dozens injured, Israel killed Fouad Shukr, the highest-ranking Hezbollah commander and right-hand man to Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of this Iranian proxy group, in Beirut. Additionally, on Wednesday morning, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau, was killed in Tehran. Although Israel has not commented on this incident, the Iranian government has identified Israel as the perpetrator of this attack and has threatened that it will not go unanswered. The unprecedented increase in tensions between the Islamic Republic and its proxy groups on one side and Israel on the other has led many airlines to temporarily cancel or change their flight schedules to the region. The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7 (October 15 in the Iranian calendar) last year when militants from this Palestinian militant group and its allies attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Approximately 120 hostages remain in the custody of Hamas forces in Gaza, and this group has not released any news or information about their status. Both Israel and the United States consider Hamas a terrorist organization. Reuters reported that officials from the Islamic Republic and its proxies are discussing 'retaliatory actions against Israel.' An Iranian representative at the United Nations claimed that the U.S. is responsible for Haniyeh's death, while the U.S. stated it had no involvement. Richard Goldberg stated that Haniyeh was killed in Iran because Israel, according to an 'unwritten agreement,' does not target anyone in Qatar. Senator Tom Cotton reacted to Haniyeh's death by stating that without this 'Hamas terrorist,' America is a safer place. Reuters noted that Haniyeh's death was the latest development in the tumultuous Middle East. Senator Marco Rubio reacted to Haniyeh's death by asserting that the Islamic Republic has no right to complain. Germany responded to Haniyeh's death by stating that tensions in the region must be prevented; Hamas is a terrorist organization.