The White House says the US is watching developments in the Middle East "very, very closely" after the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.

National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told reporters on Wednesday, "I'm not in a position to confirm the reports coming out of Tehran."

He said he has seen the statement issued by Hamas, but he cannot confirm or verify it.

Asked about the possibility that the conflict in the region could intensify, Kirby said, "We don't believe that an escalation is inevitable" and there are no signs that an escalation is imminent.

He added it is too soon to know what these reported events could mean for negotiations on a ceasefire and the release of hostages, but "that doesn't mean we're going to stop working on it."

(責任編輯：Leisure)