A US official warned that Iran would face severe consequences and disrupt efforts toward a Gaza truce if it strikes Israel in retaliation for the killing of a top Hamas official. The official emphasized that such actions by Iran could have catastrophic outcomes, particularly for Iran itself.

President Joe Biden stated that a hostage-for-ceasefire deal in the Gaza conflict was closer than ever after recent talks in Qatar, where US mediators proposed a plan to narrow the gaps.

The official pointed out that Hamas, an Iranian proxy, initiated the war on October 7, and it would be ironic if Iran took steps to derail the most promising opportunity for a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal in months.

Iran has threatened retaliation against Israel for the July 31 strike in Tehran that killed Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, an attack widely attributed to Israel, though it has not claimed responsibility.

Biden highlighted the significant progress made in the Qatar negotiations and warned that no one in the region should take actions to undermine the process, without specifically naming Iran.

When asked if Iran would hold off on retaliating against Israel now that the Gaza ceasefire talks have been extended, Iran’s mission to the UN in New York expressed hope that it would.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, in a meeting with his British and French counterparts, expected support in striking significant targets in Iran if the Islamic Republic attacks Israel. The US official, when asked about Katz’s comments, said that the US, along with Britain and France, is preparing for every possible contingency and will do everything necessary to defend Israel against any attacks from Iran.