Biden's decision came after Iran launched an attack on its embassy compound in Syria on April 1, citing an alleged attack by Israel.
President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States will not join any Israeli counterattack against Iran, U.S. officials said.
The declaration was reportedly announced during a telephone conversation between the leaders late Sunday, as Israel considered its response to the previous day's Iranian airstrike. Rising tensions in the Middle East will accelerate approval of stalled US funding plan to hand over $14 billion in aid to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even as US president joins calls for global restraint It looks like it's going to be.
“We believe that Israel has the freedom of action to protect and defend itself…That has been our policy for many years and continues to this day, but no, we would not participate in such a thing ourselves. I'm not imagining it,” a senior U.S. government official said on Sunday.
The Iranian attack came in response to an April 1 attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria (which Israel has not yet claimed), in which more than 300 missiles and drones were fired at Israel. However, the damage was minimal, and most of them were shot down by Israel with assistance from the United States, Britain, France, and Jordan.
Israel's five-member war cabinet, which met Sunday night, reportedly supports retaliation. However, it is said that there is still a divide in opinion regarding the timing and scale of the response.
In a statement released late Saturday, Biden said he told Netanyahu that Israel had “demonstrated an incredible ability to defend against and defeat unprecedented attacks.” However, he did not say whether Israel's response had been discussed.
The White House's top national security official, Press Secretary John Kirby, sought to clarify the US position in an interview on NBC Channel on Sunday.
“Our commitment is ironclad” to defend Israel and “assist Israel in its defense of itself,” he said, adding: “As the president has said many times, we are not seeking a broader war in the region. We do not want a war with Iran.”
tough area
But the escalation in low-level conflict that has erupted through Israel's six months of bombing of Gaza is likely to force U.S. lawmakers to push through the stalled funding package.
Following Biden's new plea, Republican Rep. and House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday he would push for a $95 billion wartime aid package for U.S. allies.
Mr. Johnson has been key in blocking the approval of a national security policy that would give $14 billion to Israel and about $60 billion to Ukraine, while also transferring funds to allies in Asia.
Johnson told Fox News Channel's Sunday Morning Futures that he and his party “understand the need to work with Israel” and would try to push for aid this week.
“The details of that package are currently being finalized,” he said. “We're looking at options and all of these complementary issues.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is already under enormous political pressure, with divided support among Republicans who support defending Kiev from Russian aggression.
Kirby urged speakers to put their bags “on the floor as soon as possible.”
“There was no need to inform us anything about what was going on in Ukraine,” Kirby said. “but [Saturday night’s Iranian attack] This certainly highlights the threat that Israel faces in a very tough neighborhood. ”
