U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to attendees while commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library on July 29, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images/AFP)
U.S. President Biden and Vice President Harris were told by their national security team on Monday that it is still unclear "when Iran and Hezbollah are likely to launch an attack against Israel and what specifically the attack might entail," Axios reported citing three U.S. officials.
The U.S. is using diplomatic efforts to curb potential retaliation by Iran and Hezbollah following the recent assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Beirut.
On Sunday, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the G7 Foreign Ministers that Iran and Hezbollah could attack Israel in the next 24-48 hours.
However, in the meeting Biden and Harris had with the National Security Council in the White House Situation Room on Monday, the assessment was "more nuanced," Axios reported citing U.S. officials.
Biden and Harris were told U.S. intelligence expects "a scenario involving two waves of attacks, one from Hezbollah and one from Iran and several of its other proxies," according to the officials.
The officials added that it was unclear to U.S. intelligence "who is going to attack first and what kind of attack they are going to conduct."
One U.S. official said intelligence indicates the response by Iran and Hezbollah is still a "work in progress and both are undecided about what exactly they want to do."
During the meeting, Biden told his team to "work as close as possible with Israel on coordinating the defense effort ahead of a possible attack," Axios reported citing U.S. officials.
A meeting between U.S. military central command Gen. Michael Kurilla, Israeli army chief of staff Gen. Herzi Halevi and Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in Israel on Monday discussed "coordination of defense activities and ways to expand the international coalition facing aggressive actions by Iran and its proxies," according to Gallant.
Moreover, Biden and Harris were updated about several U.S. soldiers who were seriously injured in a rocket attack on Monday by pro-Iranian militias on the al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, the White House said in a statement.
"They discussed the steps we are taking to defend our forces and respond to any attack against our personnel in a manner and place of our choosing," the White House's statement reads.
In this regard, a U.S. official, cited by Axios, said the Pentagon "expects more attacks by pro-Iranian militias against U.S. forces in the region in the coming days," stressing that growing tensions in the region are "making militias feel less restrained by Iran to attack [these] forces."
The White House also said that Biden and Harris were briefed on "continued diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tension and to bring the Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal to a conclusion."
More than 39,500 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the war last October between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
On Monday, Blinken told Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani to press Iran and Hezbollah to de-escalate, while stressing the importance of a Gaza hostage and cease-fire deal.
In another meeting with the Australian foreign minister, Blinken said that the "Middle East is at a critical moment" and asked all parties to "make the right choices in the hours and days ahead."
On the same day, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the "Biden administration conveyed a message to Iran that the U.S. will defend Israel if it is attacked."