Biden says Gaza ceasefire could deter Iran from retaliating against Israel
US President Joe Biden said Tuesday that a ceasefire deal in Gaza could deter Iran from attacking Israel in retaliation for the killing of a Hamas leader that sent regional tensions soaring. His remarks came after Iran rejected Western calls to "stand down" its threat of reprisals. Read our liveblog to see how all the day's events unfolded.
Summary:
The US has approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including scores of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles, the State Department announced Tuesday. The sale comes as Biden presses Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire after 10 months of bloodshed, although the weapons could take years to reach Israel.
Iran on Tuesday rejected Western calls to "stand down its ongoing threats" to retaliate against Israel for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Senior Iranian officials told Reuters that only a ceasefire deal in Gaza stemming from hoped-for talks this week would stop Iran from retaliating.
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