The U.S. is sending more warships to the Middle East as Israel steps up attacks

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

U.S. warships are headed to the Middle East as Israel anticipates an attack by Iran and its allies. That attack would follow the killing of several top militant and Lebanese leaders, including in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, where NPR's Jane Arraf is. Jane, thanks for being with us.

JANE ARRAF, BYLINE: Thank you, Scott.

SIMON: What is the latest?

ARRAF: Well, Israel is continuing those attacks on militant commanders. The Palestinian news agency says an Israeli airstrike this morning, actually, killed a Hamas commander in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and, as you know, Scott, in the past week, Israel has said it killed several top commanders of Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah and Islamic jihad, including in an airstrike here in the Lebanese capital. Israel hasn't taken responsibility, but it's believed to be behind the killing of a top Hamas political official while he was visiting Iran. Iran and its allies are expected to retaliate, and it has dramatically increased fears of a wider conflict breaking out. And as evidence of that, the U.S. Defense Department is sending more warships and more planes to the region, and Israel and Lebanon are bracing for the expected retaliation. Here's U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin regarding the U.S. military response.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

LLOYD AUSTIN: If Israel is attacked, we certainly will help defend Israel. You saw us do that in April, and you can expect to see us do that again.

ARRAF: He says, though, they don't want to see any of that happen. The reference to April is when Iran fired hundreds of missiles and attack drones at Israel in retaliation for an airstrike that killed a top Iranian commander in Syria.

SIMON: The Hamas leader killed in Iran was buried in Qatar yesterday, and I gather mourning in several cities. Could you tell us about that, please?

ARRAF: It was an elaborate funeral for Ismail Haniyeh, whose body was brought back from Iran. He'd been a guest of Iran. He was there for the inauguration of the new president. So the killing was particularly provocative. Israel hasn't claimed responsibility, but it's widely believed to have been behind the attack. And, Scott, it's had a particular impact because Haniyeh wasn't a military commander. He was head of the Hamas political bureau in Qatar and involved in U.S.-brokered cease-fire negotiations with Israel over the war in Gaza. Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Al Safadi, said this week that after Haniyeh's killing, Israel had now become a, quote, "rogue state."

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

AYMAN AL SAFADI: He was the one who was negotiating the exchange deal. So how on earth is a country that wants to conclude a deal kills the main interlocutor in those negotiations?

ARRAF: Let's keep in mind that Jordan is one of only two Arab countries with a peace agreement with Israel. Safadi said the killing was an attempt by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to torpedo the cease-fire talks. There are lots of diplomatic efforts still going on. The U.S. doesn't speak to Iran directly, but Safadi, for instance, this week, spoke with both the U.S. secretary of state and the Iranian foreign minister to try to de-escalate tensions.

SIMON: What's the scene been like in Iran?

ARRAF: Well, Iran held a huge memorial for him before transferring his body to Qatar. And here in Beirut, Palestinian factions held a symbolic funeral.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Singing in non-English language).

ARRAF: Fighters carried two coffins representing Haniyeh and his bodyguard draped in Palestinian flags. A speaker said Haniyeh could rest now, and others would carry on his work. Almost every Palestinian faction was represented, including a lot of young people, most of them grandchildren of people expelled from their homes decades ago. And what was striking, Scott, was their absolute faith that someday they will go home again.

SIMON: And I gather Israel detained the preacher of an important mosque in Jerusalem for incitement. What do we know about that?

ARRAF: Yeah. It was Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest places in Islam. Israeli security forces took Sheikh Ekrima Sabri away for questioning after he delivered a eulogy for Haniyeh. He was detained for several hours and then temporarily banned from the mosque.

SIMON: And where are we at the moment?

ARRAF: Well, under high alert, certainly, regarding Israel. Most airlines have stopped flights in and out, and Lebanon - a bit of a bubble here in Beirut, but the country is clearly bracing for attacks, and U.S. and other embassies are worried.

SIMON: NPR's Jane Arraf in Beirut, thanks so much.

ARRAF: Thank you, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.