The United States national Security Council spokesperson John Kirby refused to confirm or deny if President Joe Biden has warned Israel against retaliating against Iran for yesterday’s drone attack—but the New York Times reported a proposed retaliatory strike was already called off after Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone on Saturday night.
The president reportedly warned the Israeli prime minister after the Israeli military shot down most of the 200 drones sent by Iran on Saturday.
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Key Takeaways
- Speaking to Meet the Press on Sunday, Kirby said Israel’s response to the attack was “going to be up to them, we understand that and respect that”—but also said the U.S. was not seeking a war with Iran.
- Kirby also said the Pentagon was “staying vigilant” to threats against U.S. troops or facilities in the Middle East, but confirmed that no attacks have taken place so far.
- In a statement, Biden said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday evening following the attack and reaffirmed the U.S.’s “ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”
- The White House added the successful destruction of most of the drones by Israel, assisted by the U.S., sent a “clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel.”
- But Biden also reportedly told Netanyahu the U.S. will not support an offensive strike against Iran, multiple outlets reported.
What To Watch For
Israel’s war cabinet meets Sunday to discuss how to respond to the attack. Iran’s permanent mission to the U.N. said in a statement it viewed the attacks as “concluded” on Saturday night, but warned Israel against further escalation, insisting their response would be “considerably more severe.”
Meanwhile, the White House said the G7 will meet to coordinate a diplomatic response to the Iranian attack on Sunday. “The president is working the diplomatic side of this personally,” Kirby told Meet the Press.
Tangent
Pope Francis also pleaded for the two nations to end the hostilities, warning against “any action that could fuel a spiral of violence,” Reuters reported. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also expressed “deep concern” over the attack and called on Israel to “exercise calm and restraint.”
The Chinese minister also called for the U.N. to implement the Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to prevent further conflict escalation in the region.
Key Background
On April 1, an airstrike destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing two high ranking commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Iranian government immediately blamed Israel for the attack, and vowed to retaliate for the attack.
The Iranian response finally came on Saturday, when the country’s military launched approximately hundreds of one-way attack drones mostly towards targets in Israel. Most of the drones were shot down before reaching their target, but one caused minor damage to a military facility.
Officials confirmed a seven-year-old girl from the Bedouin village of Arad in the Negev Desert was injured by shrapnel after a drone was shot down in the region.
