Israel informed the United States immediately following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh that it was responsible, the Washington Post reported.
According to the newspaper, White House officials responded with surprise and outrage to Haniyeh’s assassination, which they saw as a setback to their months-long quest to secure a cease-fire in Gaza.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is leading a diplomatic sprint to apply indirect pressure on Iran, asking top officials in Cairo, Baghdad and other Arab capitals to urge that any response from Tehran.
“No one should escalate this conflict. We’ve been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We communicated that message directly to Israel," Blinken said.
