Biden, European Leaders Tell Iran to ‘Stand Down’ Amid Frenzied Speculation

Is tonight the night? In a familiar refrain of the past several days, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Monday the military is on “peak alert” for an attack from Iran or Hezbollah.

The White House too believes an attack is imminent or at least within “days” away. At the same time a senior Israeli official told Axios: “The Iranians openly signal (on the ground) their determination to carry out a significant attack in addition to their public statements that the attack will exceed the one they carried out in April.”

The official additionally observed that “Iranian public statements do not reflect any retreat.” Warnings from the West urging Tehran to not retaliate have been on repeat for a week-and-a-half following the July 31st Israeli killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

The US has been joined by European countries in calling on Iran to “stand down” amid reports of significant Iranian and Hezbollah weapons movement and positioning.

US President Joe Biden alongside the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy issued a fresh joint statement Monday: “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,” a joint statement said after their presidents and prime ministers spoke by phone.

As for the IDF, its latest statement also described that the Israeli Air Force has increased its patrols over Lebanon “to detect and intercept threats.”

“We view the statements of our enemies seriously, and are therefore prepared at the highest level of readiness for defense and attack,” it continued.

Even the Vatican has tried to intervene toward preventing a broader regional war:

Following Haniyeh’s assassination, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Haniyeh’s death would “not pass in vain,” and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that “blood vengeance” for the killing is “certain.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian furthered those threats on Monday, telling a Vatican official in a phone call that the assassination warrants Iran’s right to “self defense” and to “respond to an aggressor,” Iranian state news agency IRNA reported.

Meanwhile amid fears of the wider Israeli confrontation with the ‘Iran axis’, the IDF has kept up its operations and strikes inside Gaza.

UPDATE

• US: Iran attack ‘could be this week’
• Another US destroyer 🚢to region
• Israel on alert, situation tense
• Gallant clashes with Netanyahu
• Israel hits South Lebanon
• UK PM 📞 Iran prez
• Europeans, US push for ceasefire talks https://t.co/3WxtvahzB0

— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) August 12, 2024

“Palestinian medics said Israeli military strikes on several areas of Khan Younis on Monday killed at least 16 people and wounded several,” reports Reuters. “Meanwhile more families and displaced persons streamed out of areas threatened by new evacuation orders telling people to clear the area.”