US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has just reiterated that he doesn’t think a wider conflict in the Middle East is inevitable. "I don't think war is inevitable. I maintain that. I think there's always room and opportunities for diplomacy," Austin told media during the last day of a trip to the Philippines. Austin does not comment on reports of Ismail Haniyeh's death, saying only that he didn’t have "any additional information to provide" on the matter. And when asked about how Washington might support Israel in the event of an expanding regional conflict, Austin says that the goal was still to de-escalate tensions and "take the temperature down". “But definitely Washington will defend Israel in case of any attack.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan