Biden: "I hold them responsible to the extent that they provide weapons to the people who did this" The U.S. has suffered numerous strikes against positions in the Middle East since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, but until Sunday had not reported any human losses.

The American president must, in addition to criticism from his political adversaries, accept calls for calm from America's great rivals, Russia and China. The Americans would like China, a crucial partner for Iran, to put pressure on Tehran in order to calm things down.