President Joe Biden warned Israel against attacking Iranian nuclear sites, as U.S. officials fear that attacks on Iran’s fuel infrastructure could disrupt energy markets and impact the upcoming U.S. presidential elections scheduled for November 4.
As Iran is expected to launch an attack on Israel at any time, the United States finds itself with few guarantees to prevent further escalation in the region, according to Bloomberg. Biden’s team is pressing Israel to limit its response to last week’s Iranian missile attacks to military targets, such as air bases and missile sites.
Instead of destroying oil facilities or other economic targets, the U.S. is proposing alternatives like a new package of economic sanctions, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the discussions. The U.S. strategy aims to provide an outlet for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resist calls for harsher responses from hardliners in his government coalition.
On Wednesday, Biden discussed the situation in Gaza and Lebanon with Netanyahu, in addition to the Israeli response to the Iranian missile attack, in a phone call. The White House statement said, “President Biden spoke this morning with the Israeli Prime Minister. Vice President Harris joined the call. The President reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and unequivocally condemned the ballistic missile attack by Iran on October 1.”
Regarding Lebanon, the President emphasized the need for a diplomatic arrangement to safely return Lebanese and Israeli civilians to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line. He also affirmed Israel’s right to protect its citizens from Hezbollah, which launched thousands of rockets and shells at Israel in the past year alone, stressing the need to minimize damage to civilians, especially in densely populated areas in Beirut.
