Israel has not given assurances to the Biden administration that targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities is off the table in retaliation for the Iranian ballistic missile strikes earlier this week, a top U.S. State Department official told CNN, Kylie Atwood, Nikki Carvajal, and Jennifer Atwood reported for CNN.
President Joe Biden said earlier this week that the U.S. would not support Israel targeting Iran’s nuclear program. I Photo: Hamad Saber Flickr
The official added that it is “really hard to tell” if Israel will use the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attacks to retaliate.
“We hope and expect to see some wisdom as well as strength, but as you guys know, no guarantees,” the official said when asked by CNN if Israel has assured the U.S. that Iran’s nuclear sites are off the table.
U.S. officials have voiced support for Israel responding to Iran’s missile attack earlier this week, with multiple officials publicly stating there must be consequences. Nonetheless, officials have also expressed concerns about a regional conflagration as they grapple with an increasingly volatile Middle East.
President Joe Biden said earlier this week that the U.S. would not support Israel targeting Iran’s nuclear program.
“If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields,” Biden said at a recent press briefing.
U.S. officials also do not yet have clarity as to when Israel’s response will be decided upon or enacted. The president said on Friday that Israel was “not going to make a decision immediately.”
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