However, the White House has, for the moment, rightly stopped short of concluding that a major escalation is inevitable. While this risks escalation, it might be necessary — and a lack of resolve is also a risk in the face of ongoing attacks. There is a history here that goes beyond the fact that the US is allied with and supporting Israel in its war on Hamas. There has been much speculation about whether, given these well-documented ties, Iran ordered the Hamas operation in southern Israel. Miscalculations — whether by Iran, Israel, Hezbollah or even the US — could rapidly lead to a multifront regional war with casualties easily numbering in the tens of thousands.

---

Persons: Charles Dunne, John Kirby, Joe Biden, “, Qassem Soleimani, Bashar al, Assad, there’s, —, Biden, ”, It’s, Iran hasn’t, Israel, Geravand, it’s Organizations: US Foreign Service, Arab Center Washington DC, Middle East Institute, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, CNN, Hamas, White, National Security, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Qods Force, Reuters, Washington Post, Force Locations: Iraq, Syria, Israel, Iranian, Washington, Tehran, Iran, United States, Europe, Sarajevo, Russia, Syrian, State, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, Hezbollah, Sudan, Egypt, Qatar, Israel’s