By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Israel is on high alert as it prepares for a potential strike from Iran. Tensions have escalated in recent weeks between Israel and Iranian-backed proxies including Hamas and Hezbollah.
This most recent escalation began with the attack on a soccer field in northern Israel in late July, killing 12 children. It was the highest civilian death toll in Israel since October 7. The direct attack on civilians spurred Israel to launch a retaliatory strike in Lebanon, killing a top Hezbollah general, who Israel alleges was responsible for the attack.
Shortly after, a top Hamas leader was assassinated by a hidden explosive device in Iran’s Capital of Tehran. Iran and Hamas blame Israel for the bomb, but Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for the assassination.
Now, the Middle East, the United States and countries around the globe are waiting anxiously to see what happens next.
U.S. officials say diplomatic conversations are ongoing with several nations to ease the tension.
“No one benefits from any kind of retaliation,” said Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State. “What we’ve been engaged on is intensive diplomacy with allies and partners who are helping us communicate that message to the region, including directly to Iran.”
“We, of course, stand ready to defend our partners in Israel and defend them from attacks from either Iran or Iranian proxies,” said Patel on Tuesday.
On Capitol Hill, there’s bipartisan consensus that Iran is a “bad actor,” as it continues to fund terror through its proxies.
“They are supplied, financed, trained and given the operation, go ahead by Iran. They don’t act on their own. It’s all Iran,” said Rep. Jack Bergman (R- MI), a retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen.
However, Republicans accuse the Biden Administration of being weak with Iran.
“If your adversary has no resources, they can’t fight you,” said Bergman. “The Biden administration, whether they like it or not, the rose is pinned on them for their actions or inactions as it comes to the state of the world today, especially when it comes to the Middle East.”
Bergman calls the Iran Deal, which was signed in 2015, “a bad deal then and a bad deal now under President Biden.”
“Because what it does, it gives Iran the finances necessary to supply, train and help execute the missions that Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis are doing,” said Bergman. “The United States made a bad deal with Iran to free up its assets. And that’s strictly on the Biden administration and the Obama administration before that.”
Israel braces for a possible Iranian attack just a few days before a last-ditch effort for a ceasefire. On Thursday, mediators from several countries, including the U.S., will try to revive those stalled negotiations.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed that his team will be at the ceasefire talks on Thursday and that they’ll be prepared to finalize the deal for implementing this. Simultaneously, our Qatari partners have assured us that they are working to ensure that there is Hamas representation as well. We’ll let this play out, but we fully expect these talks to move forward as they should,” said Patel.