Biden won’t support a strike on Iran nuclear sites as Israel weighs response to Iran missile attack
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. — JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AP) — President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he would not support an Israeli attack on sites linked to Tehran’s nuclear program in response to Iranian missile attack on Israel.
“The answer is no,” Biden told reporters when asked whether he would support such a retaliation after Iran fired about 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday.
Biden’s comments came after he and fellow Group of Seven leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom spoke by phone about coordinating new sanctions on Iran.
The US and allies are doing their utmost to preserve the US Conflict in the Middle East – fueled by Iran-backed Hamas militants during the October 7 Gaza attack on Israel – continues to spread. They urged Israel to exercise restraint as it considers retaliation against Iran for Tuesday’s attack.
Israel is now carrying out what it has described limited ground operations across the northern border with Lebanon to unearth Hezbollah, another Iranian-backed group, after carrying out a series of massive airstrikes that killed the group’s leader. Hassan Nasrallah, and decimated his leadership.
Thousands of explosives last month hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah was detonated, killing dozens of people and maiming thousands of people, including many civilians. Israel is widely believed to be behind the attack
As Israeli Prime Minister, Biden declared himself against Israel attacking Iranian nuclear facilities Benjamin Netanyahu weighed one range of options on how to respond to Tuesday’s attack. It was Iran’s second attack on Israel in less than six months.
Israel’s choices range from a largely symbolic attack – similar to how Israel responded after Iran launched a barrage of missiles and attacked drones in April – hitting oil facilities and other infrastructure.
Attacking Iran’s controversial nuclear program is seen as perhaps the most provocative action Israel could take. It’s one that the Democratic president believes could further fuel a conflict in the Middle East that he already fears could turn into a broader regional conflict.
The White House said in a statement that G7 leaders “unequivocally condemned the Iranian attack on Israel” and that Biden reaffirmed America’s “full solidarity and support for Israel and its people.”
Biden added that he supports Israel’s right to defend itself and that “things need to be done” in response to the Iranian barrage. He said he expected sanctions from G7 countries would be announced soon.
“We will discuss with the Israelis what they are going to do,” Biden told reporters before heading to the Carolinas to see the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. “All seven of us agree that they have the right to respond.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office said in a statement that leaders expressed “strong concern about the escalation in recent hours” and stressed that “a conflict on a regional scale is in no one’s interest.” Italy holds the rotating presidency of the G7 group of industrialized democracies.
Biden said he planned to speak with Netanyahu “relatively soon.”
The Biden administration has said it is urging Israel to exercise restraint in how it responds to Iran’s missile attack, which Biden said was “ineffective and defeated.”
The US military helped defend Israel against the attack carried out by Iran in retaliation for the assassination of Tehran-backed leaders of the Lebanese Hezbollah.
Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said there must be “a counter-message” to Iran. He said U.S. and Israeli officials continue to discuss their response.
“At the same time, I think that as important as the response should be, we recognize that the region is really teetering on a razor’s edge,” Campbell said at a forum hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. , a Washington think tank.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his counterparts Britain, France, Germany and Italy on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the Middle East.
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Associated Press writer Colleen Barry in Rome and White House correspondent Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.