US sees 'no indication' of Iran’s helping attacks on Israel

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) – US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday said Washington has not seen “any indication” that Iran was behind the weekend's Hamas attack against Israel.

Speaking to reporters after a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers, Austin said the US has not seen “any indications that Iran was involved in the planning or the execution of the attack” on Israel.

He, however, added that the US “will remain focused” because “Iran has a long track record of supporting Hamas.”

Austin said the US has not placed “any conditions” on the support for Israel, confirming that it will back Israel “in any way that we can."

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg earlier on Thursday warned against “nations, organizations hostile to Israel" from taking advantage of the situation or to escalate the conflict.

Over 1,400 Palestinians and 1,300 Israelis have been killed since the start of the Israel-Palestine conflict on Saturday.

In a dramatic escalation of Mideast tensions, Israeli forces have launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air, which Hamas said was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

In response to Hamas' actions, the Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.