Biden to convene national security team to discuss Middle East

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden will convene his national security team on Monday to discuss developments in the Middle East, said the White House.

The meeting, which is closed to the press, will be held in the situation room.

Separately, Biden will speak with Jordan's King Abdullah II, the White House added.

Around 39,600 Palestinians have been killed in nearly 10 months since Israel launched a brutal onslaught against the Gaza Strip that began Oct. 7 following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

The assault has sparked increased regional tensions, with the latest escalation occurring last Wednesday when Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran, a day after an Israeli strike in a suburb of Beirut killed a senior military commander from the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly ordered a strike on Israel in retaliation for Haniyeh’s killing.

The Pentagon announced Friday that the US will deploy additional military assets to the Middle East amid rising tensions in the region.

"The Department of Defense continues to take steps to mitigate the possibility of a regional escalation by Iran or Iran's partners and proxies," it said.