President Joe Biden convened his senior national security team on Monday amid growing concerns over a potential Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel. This follows heightened tensions after the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, an act for which Iran has blamed Israel and vowed severe retaliation. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the assassination.

President Biden stated that he had been briefed on preparations to support Israel should it come under attack. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that officials were working “around the clock” to prevent an escalation of violence.

Several countries, including the US and UK, have advised their citizens to leave Lebanon due to fears that Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia and political movement, could be involved in any retaliatory response.

During Monday’s briefing, Biden was informed that the timing and nature of an Iranian attack remained uncertain, according to US news site Axios. The day before, Blinken had reportedly told his G7 counterparts that Iran and Hezbollah could potentially attack Israel within 24 to 48 hours.

In a statement following the briefing, Biden said: “We received updates on threats posed by Iran and its proxies, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, and preparations to support Israel should it be attacked again.” He also mentioned that measures were being taken to respond to attacks on US forces “in a manner and place of our choosing,” referencing an incident on Monday where several US personnel were injured in a suspected rocket attack on a US military base in Iraq.

Blinken, speaking to reporters earlier in the day, stressed the importance of avoiding escalation: “We are engaged in intense diplomacy pretty much around the clock with a very simple message: All parties must refrain from escalation. Escalation is not in anyone’s interests. It will only lead to more conflict, more violence, more insecurity.”

He added that achieving a ceasefire could “unlock possibilities for more enduring calm not only in Gaza itself, but in other areas where the conflict can spread.” Blinken emphasized the urgency of making the right choices in the coming hours and days.

Earlier on Monday, Biden spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan about “efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, including through an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal,” according to a White House statement.

A joint statement from the G7 expressed “deep concern at the heightened level of tension in the Middle East which threatens to ignite a broader conflict in the region,” asserting that “No country or nation stands to gain from a further escalation in the Middle East.”