U.S. says Israel-Hamas cease-fire "close," amid fears of widening Middle East war

The White House says Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks are "close," amid fears of a widening Middle East war following high-profile assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

Israel launched a rare airstrike on Lebanon's capital of Beirut on July 30, killing Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, a close advisor to Hezbollah's secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah. A day later, the longtime chairman of Hamas' political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated at his guesthouse in Tehran — Iran blames Israel — hours after attending the inauguration of incoming Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian.