it will be total war – The Time

Iran has rejected calls for restraint in its retaliation against Israel for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh while he was visiting Tehran. The eye-opening article comes from the Wall Street Journal, which cites information gathered from a series of anonymous sources familiar with the situation. Tehran has said it does not care whether the attack on the Jewish state triggers a war in the region.

The United States has called on Europeans and other allies in the region to send a message to Iran that it opposes further escalation, warning that any significant attack will trigger a response. Washington has also signaled that efforts by new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to improve engagement with the West will have a better chance if Tehran shows restraint, and stressed that it is applying the same pressure to de-escalate on Israel. These are tense times as the world seeks to avoid a major war in the Middle East.