Middle East: Iran Rejects 'Excessive Request' To Not Launch Retaliatory Attacks; US Approves Weapons Sales To Israel

Amid growing tensions in the Middle East, Iran rejected what it called an "excessive request" from three European countries urging it to refrain from any retaliatory attacks that could further escalate the situation in the region.

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany had asked Iran and its allies, in a joint statement, to refrain from retaliation for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, for which Iran has blamed Israel.

Meanwhile, the US approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including scores of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles, the State Department said on Tuesday.

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Israel-Hamas War

The 10-month long rages on between Israel and Hamas, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed at l6 Palestinians, including four women and seven children, orphaning another four children.

As many as ten persons were killed in a strike late Monday near Khan Younis, where Israel had ordered mass evacuations in the recent days.

Nasser Hospital, where bodies of the deceased were being brought, said that four children, including a 3-month-old infant, were injured. While, the infant's parents and their other five children were killed.

Another strike near Deir al-Balah in central Gaza killed a woman and her twin babies, who were four-days-old, and their grandmother. Another strike in central Gaza killed a man and his nephew.

Gaza's Health Ministry on Tuesday said that the number of infants who were born and died during the war now reached 115, since the start of the conflict in October, 2023.

Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces late on Tuesday said that a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip, which landed in the sea off the coast of central Israel. Reportedly, a second rocket was also fired but it failed to cross the border and might have fallen short in Gaza.

The sound of explosions were heard in Tel Aviv, however, no casualties were reported.

Qatar To Try Convincing Hamas

A US State Department official on Tuesday said that Qatar will try to convince Hamas to participate in Thursday's peace talks over the war in Gaza. So far, the outfit has declined to agree to be a part of the ceasefire negotiations, amid fears of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran over Ismail Haniyeh's killing.

“Our partners in Qatar have assured us that they will work to have Hamas represented,” Vedant Patel, a US State Department spokesperson said.

Patel further said, "Everyone in the region should understand that further attacks only perpetuate conflict and instability and insecurity for everyone.”

He said that the US will stand with Israel and continue to support its ally in the face of any Iranian retaliatory attack for Haniyeh's death.

Iran Rejects Calls For Refraining From Attacks

Iran on Tuesday rejected a call from three European countries urging it to refrain from any retaliatory attacks that would further escalate the tensions in the middle east regions.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a joint statement, endorsed the push for mediation from Qatar, Egypt and the US. They also called for the return of the hostages held by Hamas and the "unfettered" delivery of humanitarian aid.

However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Naseer Kanaani said, "Such demands lack political logic, are entirely contrary to the principles and rules of international law, and represent an excessive request."

Local media reported that Kanaani said that Iran is decisive about defending its right, adding that it does not need anyone's permission to retaliate over the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Meanwhile, Iran's Permanent Mission to the United Nations on Tuesday said that the country is not considering sending representatives to the ceasefire talks that will resume this week.

“We have not engaged in the indirect cease-fire negotiations between Hamas and the regime, facilitated by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, and hold no intention for involvement in such negotiations,” the mission said.

US Approves $20 Billion in Weapons Sales To Israel

Amid the threat of greater middle east war, the United States approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including scores of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles, the State Department said on Tuesday.

The sale, which includes more than 50 F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air missiles, or AMRAAMs, 120 mm tank ammunition and high explosive mortars and tactical vehicles, comes at a time where there is immense concern that Israel may become a part of a wider middle eastern war, The Associated Press reported.

Notably, the Biden administration has had to maintain a balance between its support for Israel and the growing number of calls from lawmakers and US citizens to curb the military support there in view of the civilians being killed in Gaza.

US President Joe Biden, meanwhile, said on Tuesday that achieving a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was "getting hard" but expressed his determination at securing an end to the hostilities.

“We'll see what Iran does and we'll see what happens if there is any attack. But I'm not giving up,” Biden told reporters.

The US also sent a guided missile submarine to the Middle East, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin saying that an aircraft carrier which was already on its way to the region, would sail there more quickly.

Austin said that the US had sent the USS Georgia guided missile submarine, which can carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, BBC reported.

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, which was already on its way with F-35C fighter jets, has been ordered to accelerate its journey.

UNSC Members Urge A Ceasefire Deal

Several members of the UN Security Council urged for a Gaza ceasefire deal to be sealed, with negotiations set to resume this Thursday.

However, the Council took no further action at its emergency meeting on Israel's deadly airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza in the weekend.

Russia argued that the council had given more than enough time to the US ceasefire plan, with Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy suggesting that the group consider "strengthening" its push for a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the UNSC that her country is prepared to make a "final bridging proposal", one that resolves the remaining implementation issues in a manner that fulfills all the parties' expectations.