US President Joe Biden says that the historic Operation Al-Aqsa Flood carried out by resistance factions in Gaza aimed to disrupt a potential normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
“One of the reasons why they acted like they did, why Hamas moved on Israel, is because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,” Biden said on 20 October at a campaign fundraiser in Washington. “Because the Saudis wanted to recognize Israel, and that would in fact unite [West Asia].”
His comments came five days after he told CBS' 60 Minutes that the prospect of normalization was still alive.
"Look, it's just going to take time to get done," Biden said. "It's going to take time. But the direction, moving into the normalization makes sense for the Arab nations as well as Israel."
US officials warned the Israeli defense minister and other military officials against carrying out a pre-emptive strike on Lebanese Hezbollah following Hamas’ October 7 surprise attack from Gaza on Israel, the New York Times reported on 21 October.
The White House continues to caution Israeli leaders against carrying out any major strike against Hezbollah that could draw the group into the conflict between the Hamas-led Palestinian resistance and the Israeli army, US and Israeli officials told the paper.
The White House fears Israel will face difficulties fighting on two fronts, against both Hamas in the south and a much more powerful Hezbollah force in the north. According to The New York Times, the CIA has long assessed that Israel would face significant challenges in a war against both Hezbollah and Hamas.
