US State Department: At Least 22 Americans Killed in Hamas Surprise Attack

The U.S. Department of State announced on the 11th (local time) that at least 22 Americans have been confirmed dead due to the surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian armed faction Hamas.

This number has increased from the 14 American deaths previously disclosed by President Joe Biden in his speech the day before. Additionally, the U.S. is aware that about 20 Americans, including those taken hostage by Hamas, are currently missing.

With Iran being pointed out as the force behind Hamas, a government official also stated that it is highly likely Iran was aware of this attack in advance. Major foreign media, citing interviews with anonymous government officials, reported that Iran likely knew Hamas was planning an operation against Israel. However, the official added that there is currently no information indicating that Iran ordered or coordinated the attack on Israel by Hamas.

The U.S. government, while mentioning the possibility of Iran’s complicity following Hamas’s attack on Israel on the 7th, has taken a cautious stance, stating that 'clear evidence' has not yet been found. On the other hand, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei rebutted the day before, saying, "Those siding with the Zionist regime (Israel) have been spreading rumors over the past two or three days that Iran is behind this action," and added, "They are wrong."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.