US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday (local time) that he is against Israel over its alleged plan to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. Tehran’s missile attack on the Jewish state and emphasized that Tel Aviv must act “proportionately”.
Responding to reports on Israel’s plans to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities and oil rigs in response to Tuesday’s attacks on the Jewish state, Biden said Israel has the right to defend itself, The Times of Israel reported. Yes, but it must do so “proportionately”. He also spoke to G7 leaders on the possibility of imposing new sanctions on Tehran.
After the G7 meeting, held over a phone call, the White House said Biden had coordinated multilateral implementation of new sanctions against Iran. G7 leaders, including Biden, “unequivocally condemned Iran’s attack against Israel”, which marked a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
Latest on Israel-Iran conflict:
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Biden said more sanctions would be imposed on Iran over Tuesday’s attacks on Israel and that he would soon speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Asked for comment on Israel’s plan to attack Iran’s nuclear and oil sites, Biden said, “The answer is no.”
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According to analysts, Israel’s reaction will be even more serious. Iran launched missiles and drones at the Jewish state in April, Suggesting that it may target Tehran’s nuclear or oil facilities this time. Other experts were of the view that the US should try to moderate Israel’s response to avoid regional war in the Middle East.
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Biden said he would talk to Israel, including Netanyahu, over plans to attack Iran, while insisting that Tehran had “lost its way”. “We will discuss with the Israelis what they are going to do, but all seven of us (G7 countries) agree that they have the right to respond but they should respond proportionately,” he said.
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Meanwhile, Israeli officials told their US counterparts they were still finalizing targets and timing for a response to Iran’s missile attacks, a Washington person familiar with the discussions said, reports news agency Reuters. .
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Iran’s missile strikes as well as Israel’s attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon have heightened tensions in the Middle East, where the Biden administration is rushing to mediate. Ceasefire agreement in nearly year-old Israel-Hamas war in GazaBecause the fear of full-scale war is looming in the region.
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According to Israeli officials, Israel could attack Iran’s strategic infrastructure, including gas and oil rigs, or nuclear facilities. Attacks on Iran’s air defense systems and targeted killings could also be possible responses, Axios reports. If such a plan goes ahead, it could trigger another round of confrontation between the two countries, as well as seriously cripple the Iranian economy.
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Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut early Thursday killed six people as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it carried out a “targeted” attack in the Lebanese capital. The attack took place on an apartment building in the neighborhood of Bashoura, close to the Lebanese parliament, the closest Israeli attack has come to the country’s seat of government.
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Hezbollah launched drone attacks overnight in central Israel on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, but no casualties were reported. The IDF said it shot down two hostile aircraft, while the third landed in an open area near the Tel Aviv suburb of Bat Yam, The Times of Israel reported.
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According to his office, Netanyahu met with Israel’s security chiefs at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv hours before the Jewish New Year holidays to discuss the current security situation in the region, including attacks on Iran’s nuclear and oil facilities. The alleged plan to do so was also involved.
(With inputs from Reuters)