Blinken, Austin say U.S. is ready to respond if personnel become targets of Israel-Hamas war

U.S. Sec. of State Blinken and Defense Sec. Austin warn of potential escalation of Israel-Hamas war by Iranian proxies. Biden admin. ready to respond if American personnel or forces become target. U.S. ordered non-essential staff at Iraq embassy to leave, while Biden discussed situation with Netanyahu and Pope Francis. Leaders of U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, U.K. committed to working closely to keep war from spreading, seek political solution.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Sunday that the United States expects the Israel-Hamas war to escalate through involvement by proxies of Iran, and they asserted that the Biden administration is prepared to respond if American personnel or armed forces become the target of any such hostilities.

“This is not what we want, not what we're looking for. We don't want escalation,” Mr. Blinken said. "We don't want to see our forces or our personnel come under fire. But if that happens, we're ready for it.”

Mr. Austin, echoing Mr. Blinken, said “what we’re seeing is a prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region.”

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He said the U.S. has the right to self-defence “and we won't hesitate to take the appropriate action.”

The warning from the high-ranking U.S. officials came as Israel's military response to a deadly October 7 attack by Hamas on civilians in communities in southern Israel entered its third week.

Israeli warplanes struck targets across Gaza overnight and into Sunday, as well as two airports in Syria and a mosque in the occupied West Bank allegedly used by militants as the war threatened to engulf more of the Middle East.