US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Wednesday that Washington had no knowledge of the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and did not participate in it.
In statements during a forum in Singapore, Blinken called for a ceasefire in Gaza, considering it an "enduring necessity."
The US Secretary of State renewed his demand for "the release of the hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza."
In Manila, the capital of the Philippines, journalists asked US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about Haniyeh's assassination, and he replied: "I have nothing to say about this matter."
He continued: "We have certainly heard these reports, but I have no additional information to provide."
As soon as Haniyeh's assassination was announced, Iran, Hezbollah, and the Qassam Brigades issued statements threatening to avenge Haniyeh, and threatening to cost Israel a heavy price for its actions.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that it is "Iran's duty to avenge the bitter and difficult assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh."
Khamenei's threat to avenge Haniyeh was not the first from Tehran, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian saying that Tehran would make "the terrorist occupiers regret their cowardly act."
Pezeshkian added, according to Iranian state media, that his country "will defend its dignity and territorial integrity."
The Lebanese Hezbollah group also issued a statement in which it did not directly accuse Israel, but said that the assassination of Haniyeh "will increase the determination and stubbornness of the mujahid resistance fighters in all resistance arenas to continue the path of jihad, and will make their resolve stronger in confronting the Zionist enemy."
On the other hand, the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said that the assassination of the movement's political leader Ismail Haniyeh "takes the battle to new dimensions," stressing that his blood "will not be shed in vain."
In contrast, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said on Wednesday that Israel is not seeking to expand the scope of the war, but is ready to deal with all scenarios.
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