Washington Post: Israel's announcement of Hamas leader's assassination leaves US 'surprised and outraged'

RT reported that sources revealed to the Washington Post that Israel informed the US that it was responsible for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh shortly after the attack occurred.

Haniyeh, the Palestinian militant group’s chief negotiator in indirect ceasefire talks with the Israeli delegation, was assassinated in Tehran last week, hours after attending the inauguration of new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The incident has further heightened tensions in the region as Iran has promised to impose “harsh sanctions” on Israel.

Accordingly, people close to the administration of US President Joe Biden told the Washington Post on August 6 that White House officials "reacted with surprise and outrage" when they learned about the assassination of the Hamas leader.

According to sources, Washington believes the Israeli government's move is a "setback" in US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, where fighting has continued since Hamas launched an offensive into Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.

Publicly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for Haniyeh's killing. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has insisted that Washington had "no knowledge or involvement" in the assassination, despite Israel being its closest ally in the Middle East.

Behind the scenes, sources told the Post that there was “growing discord” between the US and Israel following the incident, according to RT. An Israeli official reportedly described the phone call between Biden and Netanyahu that took place shortly after Haniyeh’s assassination as “tense.”

Several US administration officials have also told the news agency that many in the White House now see Mr Netanyahu, not Iran, as “the main freedom card in preventing a broader regional conflict”.

The assassination of Mr Haniyeh came a day after Israel confirmed that it had “eliminated” senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in an airstrike on the Lebanese capital Beirut. Earlier, the Jewish state attacked the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah in Yemen, killing at least 14 people and wounding nearly 100.

However, according to the Washington Post, citing sources, there is currently no sign that Mr. Biden is willing to put any significant pressure on Israel to restrain its actions.

Instead, the US has deployed additional military assets, including a squadron of F-22 jets and destroyers, to the region to help Israel counter possible Iranian retaliation.

According to Axios, Mr. Blinken told G7 foreign ministers on Sunday that a missile attack by Tehran could come within the next 24 to 48 hours.