WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Middle East is on high alert this evening after the killing of a top Hamas leader and a top Hezbollah commander.
Tensions are increasing again after a weekend attack on Israel which killed 12 children in a soccer field. Israel says the Iranian-backed proxy, Hezbollah, is responsible.
Israel retaliated, with a rare strike on the Lebanese capital of Beirut, killing a top Hezbollah commander who they allege was behind the weekend attack. Two women and two children were also killed in the retaliatory strike and dozens more injured, according to the Lebanese Red Cross.
Hours later in Iran, Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran while attending the inauguration of Iran’s new president.
Palestinians protested the killing of Haniyeh throughout the West Bank of Gaza, as Iran warns of retaliation. Details about Haniyeh’s death are limited, multiple reports suggest he was assassinated.
Now, lawmakers and U.S. officials are focused on preventing a larger scale conflict in the region.
“No one wants to see an escalation in the Middle East,” said Senator Bob Casey (D- PA). “It’s been horrific enough for the people of Israel and people in the region to have the threat of Hamas, a terrorist organization, attack the people of Israel and kill more than 1,200 people, citizens,” said Casey, who’s pointing the finger at Iran, the primary backer of Hezbollah and Hamas.
“I’ve often said over and over again that Iran is the backer and the banker of all the bad guys,” said Casey. “The Israelis can strike back, as they should, to defend themselves and defend their people and defend children. I’m hoping it will stop there. But unfortunately, the Iranians are at the center of all these terrorist incidents.”
U.S. officials say the best way to prevent further escalation is with a ceasefire. However, the recent events in the Lebanon and Iran are not helping those efforts.
“It was always complicated. It remains complicated and reports coming out of the region, as we’ve seen again over the last 24 or 48 hours, certainly don’t make it less complicated,” said National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby. “That doesn’t mean we’re going to stop working on it. In fact, we have a team in the region right now as we speak.”
“I know, our government wants to, as well as I think governments within the region, want to continue to pursue an agreement that will lead to a new chapter in the Middle East,” said Casey.