Hamas attack on Israel thrusts Biden into Mideast crisis and has him fending off GOP criticism
President Joe Biden has been thrust into a Middle East crisis that risks expanding into a broader conflict and has left him fending off criticism from GOP presidential rivals that his administration’s policies led to this moment
WASHINGTON (AP) — The deadly Hamas militant attack on Israel and the massive retaliation it provoked from Jerusalem have thrust President Joe Biden into a Middle East crisis that risks expanding into a broader conflict and has left him fending off criticism from GOP presidential rivals that his administration's policies led to this moment.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah group welcomed the attack as a response to “Israeli crimes.” The group, which holds similar goals as Hamas for the destruction of the Israeli state, said its command was in contact with Hamas about the operation. A senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader also lauded the deadly attack. And Hamas said it was ready for a potentially long fight.
The Hamas attack left at least 250 dead and 1,500 wounded in Israel. And at least 232 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed and at least 1,700 wounded in retaliatory Israeli strikes.
