Blinken on Supporting Israel if Iran Attacks: We’ll Focus on Ceasefire, Want to Ensure Conflict ‘Doesn’t Spread’

During an interview with CNA on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to a question on how far the U.S. will go to defend Israel from attacks from Iran after Israel’s reported killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh by stating that since October 7, “one of the things that we’ve been focused on is trying to make sure that the conflict that emerged in Gaza doesn’t spread, doesn’t go to other places, doesn’t escalate, and we’re going to continue to do that as well. Now, again, the best way to bring the temperature down everywhere and to put us on a better path is through a ceasefire in Gaza.” And America’s focus “will very much remain on” a ceasefire.

Host Teresa Tang asked, “The Iranian president has responded. I just want to read you some of his comments. He has vowed to make Israel regret the killing, saying that it’s Iran’s duty to avenge his death. How do you prevent retaliation against Israel, and should there be a major counterattack, how far is the U.S. willing to go in support of Israel?”

Blinken responded, “From day one, since October 7, the horrific attack on Israel and on its men, women, and children, one of the things that we’ve been focused on is trying to make sure that the conflict that emerged in Gaza doesn’t spread, doesn’t go to other places, doesn’t escalate, and we’re going to continue to do that as well. Now, again, the best way to bring the temperature down everywhere and to put us on a better path is through a ceasefire in Gaza. That will have, I think, important effects on other areas where you could see conflict, whether it’s in the north with Israel and Lebanon, whether it’s Iran, whether it’s in the Red Sea with the Houthis. So, that’s why the focus on the ceasefire needs to remain, and for us, it will very much remain on that.”

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