Politico newspaper quoted sources in the US administration as saying that Washington could reconsider the decision not to send troops to the Middle East against the backdrop of the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
The sources said that the decision of the United States to send forces to the Middle East is linked to the extent of the deterioration of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
She stressed that the administration of US President Joe Biden believes that “the situation is becoming more complex and poses a challenge to the leaders of the United States and Israel against the backdrop of the hostage crisis” with the Al-Qassam Brigades in the Gaza Strip.
The Biden administration had previously ruled out sending forces to the region to free Americans held captive by Hamas . But this decision, announced by a senior White House official, may be reversed, according to sources in the US administration.
John Kirby, coordinator of strategic communications at the National Security Council at the White House, said in a press conference on Thursday that the US administration has no plans to send American forces to Israel.
Kirby refused to determine whether the Washington administration considers Israel's actions against civilians in the Gaza Strip acceptable.
A senior Pentagon official said that the United States is discussing with Israel the issue of sending smart bombs as part of military assistance.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Israel on Friday, during which he will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the midst of military operations, according to an American defense official.
Israel reveals the circumstances of the killing of two army and police officers during the “Al-Aqsa Flood” clashes
The Washington Post reported that the United States reached an agreement with Qatar to stop Iran from receiving $6 billion in funds released in the prisoner exchange agreement.
According to this report, which was published on Thursday, October 12, two informed sources said that the Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury informed the Democratic members of the US House of Representatives about this.
US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, said in Tel Aviv that no part of the released Iranian assets was spent in Qatar, and that Tehran cannot access them .
Shortly before this news, the chief correspondent for CBS News had announced a “quiet understanding” between the United States and Qatar in this regard.
This decision was taken after members of Congress increased pressure on the Biden administration to intensify policies against Tehran because of its support for the Hamas attack on Israel. Senior officials in the Biden administration said that they currently have no evidence of Iran’s direct involvement in the recent attack launched by the resistance, and requested A number of members of the US House of Representatives and Senate directly asked the US government to stop Iran from receiving $6 billion in response to the attack.
This money was from Tehran's revenues banned from selling oil, and to which Iran was prevented from accessing due to international sanctions. In the final steps to take this decision, the two Republican senators, Mitch McConnell and Tom Cotton, prepared a plan calling for freezing $6 billion in funds. Liberated Iran in exchange for prisoner exchange with the United States.
Critics of the Biden government's policies inside and outside this country have repeatedly pointed out that the funds released to Iran are being used to support this country's military actions in the region, including the current attack by Hamas on Israel.
Kevin McCarthy, former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, said on Monday that Biden's policy of appeasement with Iran must end, and added: "His policy has only encouraged terrorists, and giving $6 billion to Iran will only help achieve that. It must be restored." Freeze the dollars released today.”
In response to pressure on the release of these funds, officials in the Biden administration, including Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, said that there was no link between the release of these funds and the Hamas attack on Israel.
They have stressed several times that the US government will monitor how Iran spends these funds so that they are used for “humanitarian” purposes. Earlier, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that Iran will use these funds in any sector it wants.
On Monday, September 18, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the exchange of five Iranian prisoners for five American prisoners. On the same day, Qatar informed Iran and the United States that about $6 billion in freed Iranian funds had been transferred from Switzerland to Qatar.
Senior officials in Iran, including the heads of the three authorities, as well as senior military commanders, expressed their public support for the “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack launched by Hamas on October 7 against Israel.
However, on October 10, the Iranian leader, Ali Khamenei, retracted his previous positions and denied Tehran's role in the attacks carried out by Hamas militants against Israel. His statements came just hours after the United States warned Iran against interfering in the war between the resistance and Israel .
At the joint graduation ceremony for university students of armed forces officers, the Iranian leader likened Hamas’ attack on Israel to a “devastating earthquake,” and said, “Israel has suffered an irreparable defeat, militarily and intelligence-wise.”
At dawn on Saturday, October 7, 2023, the “Al-Qassam Brigades,” the military wing of the Hamas movement, announced the start of Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood,” launching more than 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip. Palestinian fighters also carried out specific operations, storming a number of cover settlements and engaging in street warfare with Israeli forces and killing them. They wounded a number of them, captured a number of soldiers and settlers , and took control of Israeli vehicles .
The ongoing Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip resulted in the killing of more than 1,537 Palestinians and the wounding of 6,612 others, and the killing of 36 and the wounding of 650 in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health .
Israeli media reported on Thursday that the Israeli death toll during Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” had risen to 1,400 people, and the wounded to more than 3,300.