Blinken Warns Iran At UN Safety Council: ‘We Will Defend Our People’

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken instructed the United Nations Safety Council Tuesday that whereas the US doesn’t search battle with Iran, Washington won’t hesitate to “defend our security” after a collection of assaults on American forces in Iraq and Syria by Tehran’s proxies.

There have been at the least six publicly acknowledged assaults on US army websites within the Center East over the previous week, fueled by the Israeli response to Hamas’ shock terror assault on Oct. 7.

“Let me say what we’ve consistently said to Iranian officials through other channels: The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, we do not want this war to widen,” Blinken mentioned at Turtle Bay. “But if Iran or its proxies attack US personnel anywhere, make no mistake – we will defend our people, we will defend our security swiftly and decisively.”

Iranian-backed forces have attacked army bases in Iraq and Syria internet hosting US personnel with drones, missiles and rockets nearly every day since Oct. 17, in response to the Pentagon.

On Oct. 19, the destroyer USS Carney additionally downed missiles within the Crimson Sea that have been believed to have been launched by Tehran-supported Houthis in Yemen focusing on Israeli territory.

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Different Iranian proxies believed to be behind the assaults embrace Islamic Resistance in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas itself, which perpetrated the horrific murders of greater than 1,400 individuals throughout southern Israel, together with at the least 33 Individuals.

“We know Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people, and Palestinian civilians are not to blame for the carnage committed by Hamas,” Blinken instructed the Safety Council. “Palestinian civilians must be protected. That means Hamas must cease using them as human shields.

“It’s hard to think of an act of greater cynicism,” he added.

Iran makes use of cash, weapons and logistical assist to again radical terror teams throughout the Center East to counter its regional rival Saudi Arabia and battle enemies Israel and the USA. Its proxies embrace:

Hezbollah of Lebanon: The “Party of God” was based in 1982, its title chosen by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini, with 1,500 Revolutionary Guards despatched to coach its fighters. The group has grow to be a “shadow nation” inside Lebanon, and was utilized by Iran to assault Israel and prop up Bashar al-Assad throughout the Syrian Civil Conflict. Because the Hamas assault, Hezbollah has fired rockets into Israel, and Iran has threatened to launch a full-on assault within the north if Israel invades Gaza.

Hamas of Gaza: The “Islamic Resistance Movement” was based in 1987 and has shut ties to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. It has management of Gaza and workouts affect within the West Financial institution. Regardless of non secular variations with Iran, the group shares the aim of exterminating Israel. Intelligence reveals Iran knew of and backed the Hamas shock assault on Israel.

Palestine Islamic Jihad of the West Financial institution: Typically an ally and typically a rival of Hamas, it additionally receives funding and arms from Iran and seeks the overthrow of Israel. Over the weekend, an Israeli airstrike hit a command heart being utilized by each Hamas and PIJ within the West Financial institution — an indication that the West Financial institution could possibly be used to assault Israel because it commits troops to Gaza.

Spies in Jordan: King Abdullah II of Jordan has pleasant relations with the US, which Iran seeks to disrupt. The nation’s authorities was practically overthrown by the Palestine Liberation Group within the Seventies and worries that Iran is funding anti-government terrorists within the nation.

Assad of Syria: Syria is Iran’s closest ally because the two nations aligned towards Iraq’s Saddam Hussein throughout the Iran-Iraq Conflict. Throughout the Syrian Civil Conflict in 2011, Iran helped preserve President Bashar al-Assad in energy by offering him technical assist and personnel. Because the Hamas assault, Syria claims Israel has dropped bombs on airports in Syria, more likely to disrupt the stream of Iranian provides and weapons. Syria fired artillery into Israeli territory. In the meantime, a drone assault by an Iranian-backed group wounded US troops at Al-Tanf base. Whereas Assad might not go as far as to declare battle on Israel, he’s comfortable to have Iran use his nation to offer assist to Hezbollah and Hamas.

Houthis of Yemen: Islamic rebels who want to overthrow the federal government of Yemen (left). Their slogan is “God is great, death to the US, death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory for Islam.” It’s grow to be a proxy battle for Iran, which backs the rebels, and Saudi Arabia, which helps the present president, Rashad al-Alimi. Final week, the Houthis fired 9 cruise missiles and 15 drones towards Israel over a interval of 9 hours. They have been shot down by the USS Carney, a destroyer that the US had despatched into the Crimson Sea.

Kataib Hezbollah of Iraq: Iran backs plenty of teams in neighboring Iraq, and because the fall of Saddam Hussein has pushed for a Shia-backed authorities. However Kataib Hezbollah, the “Party of God Brigades,” will be the most harmful. It has carried out a string of assaults on US forces. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s elite Quds Pressure, was advising the group when he was killed by a US strike in 2020. Because the Hamas assault, drones and rockets from Kataib Hezbollah and different Iran-backed teams have been fired on the Ain al-Asad air base that the US makes use of.

Al-Ashtar Brigades of Bahrain: Shia group that seeks the overthrow of the monarchy of Bahrain, with Iran’s assist.

Blinken additionally urged different Safety Council members to “tell Iran and its proxies in public and private” to not “open another front against Israel in this conflict” so as to forestall the upheaval from spreading all through the area.

“We urge members to go step further – make clear that if Iran or its proxies widen this conflict and put more civilians at risk you – you – will hold them accountable,” he mentioned. “Act as if the security and stability of the entire region and beyond is on the line, because it is.”

The newest assaults take to 4 up to now 24 hours focusing on Iraqi army bases that host US forces in Iraq.REUTERS

Blinken then pivoted to boasting concerning the $1.6 billion the Biden administration has supplied Palestinians in Gaza and the West Financial institution since taking workplace in January 2021 and calling on “all countries, particularly those with the greatest capacity to give, to join us in meeting the UN’s appeal for the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

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“At the heart of our efforts to save innocent lives in this conflict, and in every conflict, for that matter, is our core belief that every civilian life is equally valuable,” he mentioned. “There is no hierarchy when it comes to protecting civilian lives. A civilian is a civilian is a civilian, no matter his or her nationality, ethnicity, age, gender, faith.

“That’s why America mourns the loss of every single innocent life in this crisis, including innocent Israeli and Palestinian men, women children, elderly people, Muslims, Jews, Christians, people of all nationalities and faiths,” he added.

The secretary additional pledged that the US would proceed to work with the United Nations “to build mechanisms that will enable sustained humanitarian assistance to flow to civilians in Gaza without benefiting Hamas or any other terrorist group.”