US President Joe Biden and the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Britain issued a joint statement on Monday urging Iran to “stand down” its threats of an attack on Israel.
“We called on Iran to stand down its ongoing threats of a military attack against Israel and discussed the serious consequences for regional security should such an attack take place,” the leaders said after speaking together by phone.
“The fighting must end now, and all hostages still detained by Hamas must be released,” French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Biden said in a joint statement.
“The people of Gaza need urgent and unfettered delivery and distribution of aid,” it said.
“There can be no further delay.”
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World reacts to air strikes killing Hamas leader in Iran and Hezbollah commander in Beirut
World reacts to air strikes killing Hamas leader in Iran and Hezbollah commander in Beirut
White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday the US had increased its regional force posture in recent days and shared Israel’s concerns about a possible Iran-backed attack after Iran and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas accused Israel of carrying out the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran last month.
“We have to be prepared for what could be a significant set of attacks,” John Kirby told reporters, adding that Washington shared Israeli assessments that any attack “could be this week”.
Israeli military Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said it is monitoring developments in Iran, but the military has not changed its precautionary guidelines to the public.
“We are following what is going on specifically with Iran, with all our capabilities. We are also not following alone. We are following with the United States and other partners,” said Hagari.
Hagari said if needed, the military would update the Home Front about any changes as quickly as possible.
Also on Monday, the US confirmed it would resume sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, as concerns over human rights in the kingdom’s Yemen war give way to US hopes for it to play a role in resolving the Gaza conflict.
More than three years after imposing limits on human rights grounds over Saudi strikes in Yemen, the State Department said it would return to weapons sales “in regular order, with appropriate congressional notification and consultation”.
“Saudi Arabia has remained a close strategic partner of the United States, and we look forward to enhancing that partnership,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.
Biden took office in 2021 pledging a new approach to Saudi Arabia that emphasised human rights, and immediately announced that the administration would only send “defensive” weaponry to the long-time US arms customer.
Meanwhile, international mediators have invited Israel and Hamas to resume negotiations, after deadly strikes in Gaza and the killings of Iran-aligned militant leaders sparked fears of a wider conflict.
Israel has accepted the invitation from the US, Qatar and Egypt to send negotiators for talks planned for Thursday.
Hamas said on Sunday it wanted the implementation of the three-phase plan, which the UN Security Council has endorsed, “rather than going through more negotiation rounds or new proposals”.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres “welcomes the mediation efforts … and urges both sides to rejoin negotiations and conclude the ceasefire and hostage release deal”, said his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.
Hamas last week named its Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar to succeed political leader and truce negotiator Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed on July 31 in Tehran in an attack blamed on Israel, which has not claimed responsibility.
Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday it had strengthened defences and organised “offensive options” as “threats from Tehran and Beirut may materialise”.
Pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza grew after civil defence rescuers in the Hamas-run territory said an Israeli air strike on Saturday killed 93 people at a school housing displaced Palestinians.
Guterres condemned “yet another devastating strike by Israel” on Gaza City’s Al-Tabieen school “with scores of fatalities amid continued horror, displacement and suffering”, Haq said.
Israel said it targeted militants operating out of the school and mosque complex with “precise munitions”. The army published the names of 31 people it said were militants who died in the raid.
Gaza officials told Agence France-Presse on Monday that they had identified the bodies of 75 of those killed, while others were charred and torn apart.
Additional reporting by Reuters
