Biden’s decision comes after Iran launched the attack on April 1 over a suspected Israeli attack on its embassy compound in Syria.
The United States will not participate in an Israeli counteroffensive against Iran, President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to US officials.
The reported statement came late Sunday in a phone call between the leaders as Israel considers its response to the previous day’s Iranian airstrike. Even as the US president joins global calls for restraint, rising tensions in the Middle East appear to be accelerating approval of a stalled funding package that would see Washington hand Netanyahu $14 billion in aid.
“We believe that Israel has the freedom of action to protect and defend itself… That is a longstanding policy and that remains, but no, we would not imagine taking part in something like that,” a senior U.S. official said. government on Sunday.
More than 300 missiles and drones were fired at Israel in the Iranian attack, which came in response to an attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria on April 1 that has not yet been claimed by Israel. However, it caused only moderate damage, with most of it shot down by Israel with help from the US, UK, France and Jordan.
Israel’s five-member war cabinet, which met on Sunday evening, is reportedly in favor of retaliation. However, it is said that disagreements remain over the timing and scale of a response.
In a statement released late Saturday, Biden said he told Netanyahu that Israel had “demonstrated a remarkable ability to defend against and deter unprecedented attacks.” However, he did not disclose whether Israel’s response was discussed.
John Kirby, the White House’s top national security spokesman, tried to make the U.S. position clear in an interview on NBC on Sunday.
“Our commitment is ironclad” to defend Israel and “help Israel defend itself,” he said, adding: “As the president has said many times, we do not seek a major war in the region.” We do not seek war with Iran.”
Tough neighborhood
But the escalation of the low-level conflict flared by Israel’s six-month bombardment of the Gaza Strip is likely to lead U.S. lawmakers to push through a stalled funding package.
Following a new plea from Biden, Republican lawmaker and House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that he would try to push forward the $95 billion package of war aid for U.S. allies.
Johnson was instrumental in delaying approval of the national security package, which included $14 billion to Israel and about $60 billion to Ukraine, as well as providing funds to allies in Asia.
Johnson told Fox News Channel’s Sunday Morning Futures that he and Republicans “understand the need to stand with Israel” and that he would try to push aid this week.
“The details of this package are currently being put together,” he said. “We’re looking at the options and all these additional issues.”
Johnson is already under enormous political pressure as the Republican Party is divided over supporting Kiev in its defense against the Russian invasion.
Kirby asked the speaker to put the package “on the floor as quickly as possible.”
“We didn’t need a reminder of what was going on in Ukraine,” Kirby said. “But [Saturday night’s Iranian attack] This certainly clearly underlines the threat that Israel faces in a very, very difficult neighborhood.”