Blinken: No Evidence of Iran Involvement in Hamas Attack on Israel

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that there is no clear evidence suggesting Iran’s involvement in the recent attack by Hamas on Israel.

Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, carried out an attack on Saturday, resulting in the death of at least 250 people in Israel. Iran has long been known as a supporter of Hamas.

“While there is a long-standing relationship between Iran and Hamas, we have yet to see any direct evidence linking Iran to this specific attack,” Blinken mentioned during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Some Republican leaders have accused Iran of being responsible for the attack. Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX) stated on CNN that “we do know that Iran was behind this,” but it remains unclear whether he was referring to specific information related to the recent attack or Iran’s historical support for Hamas.

Critics have previously questioned the Biden administration’s decision to release $6 billion to Iran for humanitarian purposes in a detainee swap agreement. However, Blinken confirmed that none of the released funds have been spent by Iran.

Blinken also mentioned that the U.S. is currently verifying reports of American casualties or missing individuals from the attacks. He further stated that there may be announcements regarding additional aid for Israel from the U.S. later on Sunday.

Israel retaliated against Hamas with strikes in Gaza, and the country’s Security Cabinet has officially declared a “war situation.” These developments have raised concerns about the potential widening of the conflict to involve other groups in the Middle East.

Blinken mentioned that there has been some limited firing between Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Israel, but currently it remains quiet. However, he emphasized that the situation is being closely monitored.

“Our top priority is to ensure that Israel has the necessary support to address the situation in Gaza. Additionally, President Biden has made it clear that anyone in any other location who may attempt to exploit this situation should not do so,” Blinken added.