Washington, August 12 (RHC)-- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a guided-missile submarine to head to the Middle East and for a strike group of fighter jets and Navy warships to sail more quickly to the region as Israel is bracing for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran and Hezbollah after Israel assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut. 

Over the weekend, Israel continued its assassination campaign by killing a Hamas commander in the Lebanese city of Sidon.

Meanwhile, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt have called on Israel and Hamas to resume ceasefire talks on Thursday in Cairo.  

Hamas responded by saying it supports the ceasefire proposal put forward by President Biden rather than any new plan.  Biden claimed the plan was drafted by Israel in May -- but was never publicly accepted by Tel Aviv... and the genocide continues.