Israel’s retaliatory strike against Iran earlier this evening targeted “multiple military targets across Iran and outside populated areas,” a senior Biden administration official says.
While the US was not a participant in the attack, President Joe Biden and his national security team worked with their Israeli counterparts over recent weeks to encourage Jerusalem “to conduct a response that was targeted and proportional with low risk of civilian harm.”
“That appears to have been precisely what transpired this evening,” the senior US official says during a briefing with reporters.
During his call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, Biden encouraged the Israeli premier “to design a response that served to deter further attacks against Israel while reducing risk of further escalation. That is our objective, and it’s Israel’s objective,” the official says.
“Should Iran choose to respond, we are fully prepared to once again defend against any attack,” the US official stresses, pointing to the recent US deployment of THAAD missile defense batteries to Israel.
“This should be the end of this direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran,” the US official says, adding that “Israel has made clear to the world that its response is now complete.”
“Accordingly, we will call on all countries of influence to press Iran to stop these attacks against Israel so that we can move beyond this direct cycle of attacks over the coming days,” he says.
The US official says Washington remains prepared to lead the effort to bring about ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza, and has been engaged in those efforts in recent days. (Times of Isreal)
