President Biden announced on Wednesday that he would not back an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.
The President’s statement came just a day after Iran’s missile attack on Israel, which saw 181 missiles fired in a dramatic escalation of regional tensions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Iran would pay a price for its aggression.
Speaking briefly with reporters before boarding Air Force One, Biden explained that the leaders of the G7 nations, including France, Canada, Japan, Britain, Italy, and Germany, had reached a consensus that while Israel has the right to defend itself, its response to Iran should be proportional.
“We’ll be discussing with the Israelis what they’re going to do, but all seven of us agree that they have a right to respond, but they should respond proportionally,” Biden stated.
However, when asked whether he would support an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Biden firmly responded, “The answer is no.” Instead, he indicated that the U.S. would implement more sanctions against Iran and that he planned to speak with Netanyahu soon about the situation.
Biden’s Stance Amid Rising Regional Tensions
The missile assault by Iran has escalated an already tense region.
The Biden administration has been engaged in negotiations to reach a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has lasted nearly a year. Yet, the prospects of a peace deal remain dim.
“We aren’t any closer to that now than we were even a week ago,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said earlier. A U.S. official echoed these sentiments, stating, “No deal is imminent. I’m not sure it ever gets done.”
The conflict in the Middle East has only worsened, with Israel now targeting Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon following Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah’s death in an Israeli airstrike.
Israel’s combat deaths are mounting, and Netanyahu has expanded his war objectives beyond Gaza to include neutralizing Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israel Bans UN Chief Over Perceived Bias
In a related development, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that the country had banned U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres from entering Israel.
The decision was made after Guterres failed to “unequivocally” condemn Iran’s missile attack. Katz criticized Guterres’ response, noting that the U.N. chief did not specifically mention Iran in his condemnation.
“Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, as almost every country in the world has done, does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil,” Katz wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Republican Criticism of Biden’s Approach
During a recent debate, Republican Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance expressed support for former President Donald Trump’s “peace through strength” policy toward Israel.
“Donald Trump recognized that for people to fear the United States, you need peace through strength. They needed to recognize that if they got out of line, the United States’ global leadership would put stability and peace back in the world,” Vance said.
He further emphasized that it should be up to Israel to decide how to keep its country safe and that the U.S. should support its allies in combating adversaries.
“We should support our allies wherever they are when they’re fighting the bad guys. I think that’s the right approach to take with the Israel question,” Vance stated.
Iran’s Escalation and Israel’s Vow of Retaliation
Iran’s missile barrage on Israel was in response to recent Israeli operations targeting Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.
Although Iran’s attack involved over 180 missiles, the majority were intercepted by Israel, with the help of two U.S. Navy destroyers.
The Pentagon reported minimal damage on the ground, and no casualties were reported.
In response, Israel has vowed swift retaliation, with Netanyahu warning that Iran “made a grave mistake” and will “pay for” the assault.
Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari also stated that the nation is on high alert and will defend its citizens with both defensive and offensive measures.