Staff Reports
President Joe Biden is rolling up his sleeves for a Monday meeting with his national security advisers to tackle what can only be described as another Middle Eastern family feud, now centered around Israel and Iran. The plot has thickened significantly with Iran announcing its intent to serve up a plate of revenge after Israel allegedly took out a senior commander from Hezbollah, as well as putting the squeeze on a high-ranking Hamas leader in Iran. It’s a classic case of “you poke the bear, you better be ready for the claws.”
Joining Biden in this high-stakes session is Vice President Kamala Harris, who, while busy courting votes as a Democratic presidential contender, will also be acting as a cheerleader—hopefully not a “we’re all friends” kind of cheerleader—in this rapidly escalating situation. Fox News has highlighted the attendance of this key administration player, and there’s no doubt that her presence will bring the warm, fuzzy feeling of uncertainty to an already hot topic.
Biden meeting with national security team amid anticipated Iran attack on Israel https://t.co/1avEEd0BQj
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) August 5, 2024
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin took some time out of his busy schedule to touch base with his Israeli counterpart on Sunday. The duo reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel, signaling to allies and adversaries alike that Uncle Sam still has Israel’s back, even when the Middle East starts looking like a scene from a spaghetti western. Austin and his Israeli counterpart discussed how best to protect U.S. forces, lend a hand to Israel’s defense machinery, and make it clear to Iran that aggression isn’t the best strategy moving forward—kind of like telling your buddy that he’s not fooling anyone with the “angry guy at the bar” routine.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who seemingly has the stamina of a seasoned marathon runner, informed his cabinet that Israel is knee-deep in a “multi-front war” against Iran and its proxies. One can only imagine the strategy meetings he’s holding as his nation currently juggles the fiery banners of contention being waved by both Hezbollah and Hamas. With regional tensions at an all-time high following the takedown of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Israel finds itself in the tricky position of playing the role of hunter while simultaneously being hunted.
Despite the smoke and mirrors from Iran claiming they’re just having a bad day, it’s clear that tensions will only continue to rise as the situation unfolds. With accusations flying around about who killed whom and whether or not Israel is actually owning up to responsibility in the case of Hamas’s leadership, one can’t help but feel that the Middle East drama could use a strong dose of reality TV to capture the absurdity at play properly. Biden and his team have their work cut out for them, and one can only hope that they play this hand wisely—while keeping Iran’s ambitions firmly in check.
