US President Joe Biden expressed optimism that an all-out war between Israel and Iran could be avoided, but he was less confident about the prospects for an upcoming ceasefire in Gaza.
Speaking to reporters Friday in Berlin, where he met with the leaders of Germany, France and Britain, Biden assessed efforts to end the multi-arena conflict in the Middle East.
“There is an opportunity in my view – and my colleagues agree – that we can probably deal with Israel and Iran in a way that ends the conflict for a while. In other words, it stops the back and forth,” Biden said.
Biden’s latest comments signal a possible shift in the United States’ position. Last week, the State Department suggested it was no longer seeking a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, saying the Lebanese group was “in retreat” after the assassination of several of its leaders.
It is widely believed that Israel is preparing a strike against Iran in response to Tehran’s attack on Israeli military targets on October 1.
Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and an Iranian general in Beirut.
In a previous series of attacks, Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles into Israel earlier this year in response to the bombing of an Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed seven people.
Asked Friday if he understood how and when Israel would respond, Biden responded: “Yes and yes.” Pressed for more details, he added: “No and no.”
Political risks for Biden
The US president had previously suggested that Washington would oppose an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear or oil facilities.
A military attack on Iran’s oil sector could send global prices skyrocketing and prove costly for U.S. consumers, potentially hurting the electoral chances of Democratic presidential nominee Biden’s current vice president. Kamala Harris.
Iran has pledged to respond forcefully to any Israeli attack.
It is unclear how the United States and its European allies plan to prevent an escalation of direct violence between Iran and Israel.
Ceasefire in Gaza?
Biden has repeatedly promised to continue arming Israel regardless of its policies, including ongoing concerns over well-documented atrocities in Gaza.
The US president signaled on Friday that a ceasefire in Gaza was not imminent following the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a shootout with Israeli troops earlier this week.
“We believe there is an opportunity to work towards a ceasefire in Lebanon,” he said. “And it’s going to be more difficult in Gaza, but we agree that there has to be an outcome – what happens the next day?
On Thursday, Biden called Sinwar’s killing an “opportunity” for a resolution to the Gaza war.
The US president also had a phone call with Netanyahu to “congratulate” him on Sinwar’s death, the White House said.
The Israeli offensive in Gaza has killed more than 42,500 Palestinians and turned large parts of the territory into ruins, displacing almost its entire population.
Israel is also accused of carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza, where it has ordered the population to leave and cut off all humanitarian aid to the region.
The United States provides Israel with at least $3.8 billion in military aid each year, and Biden has approved an additional $14 billion in aid since the Gaza war began in early October 2023.
Climbing in Lebanon?
While Washington has warned of the conflict’s expansion, it has expressed support for Israel’s relentless bombing campaign and ground offensive in Lebanon.
Despite losing many members of its senior military and political echelons, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah managed to inflict heavy losses – which it claims to number in the hundreds – on Israeli invasion forces in southern Lebanon. this month.
The group also maintained constant rocket fire against Israel, reaching the suburbs of Tel Aviv.
On Thursday, Hezbollah announced the move to a new “phase of escalation” in the confrontation with Israel, which the group said would reveal itself in the coming days.