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Biden expected to speak to Netanyahu
Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna has noted that Biden’s administration has publicly offered unequivocal support to Israel in the aftermath of Iran’s missile attack.
“At this stage though, we do not know what is being said in the communications between US officials and their Israeli officials – whether or not there has been a call for de-escalation,” Hanna reported.
Earlier, Biden told reporters he had yet to speak to Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. “We’ve spoken with all his people and I’ll be talking to him and my message to him will depend on what we finally conclude is needed,” the US president said.
Asked what the consequences for Iran should be, Biden replied: “That remains to be seen.”
‘Iran won’t accept humiliation. It’s time for US to act like a grown-up, restrain Israel’
This situation is very tragic. It’s horrific.
And I’d actually advise those who are celebrating – regardless of where they are celebrating, under debris in the ashes of their homes in Gaza or in the various cities in Iran – to stop.
What is happening today and what will happen in the days to come – a further escalation and probably Israel overreaching again with the help of the United States – is going to bring the region again to the brink.
One way to avoid this is to make sure that whatever happens next does not lead to further escalation because Iran, like Israel, will not accept to be humiliated.
The next response after the next response might actually bring the entire region into a war – and if we enter into a cycle of retaliation and counter-retaliation, that will end up burning the Middle East.
This is not the time to celebrate and to make threats and take the reckless Netanyahu pathway towards a broken-down Middle East.
This is the time for America to act like a grown-up, restrain Israel and propose something sobering and realistic for the Middle East that includes some sort of a ceasefire that will lead to political solutions.
Because the next war is not going to lead to the liberation of Palestine – I can assure you about that – but it’s also not going to lead to a more secure Israel or better interests for the US.
It’s simply going to lead to another tragedy in the Middle East and that’s in nobody’s interest.
‘Israel’s enablers responsible to rein in warmongers’: Iran foreign minister
Abbas Araghchi says Iran’s missile attack was an act of “self-defence” that only targeted military and security sites used for attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.
“We did so after exercising tremendous restraint for almost two months, to give space for a ceasefire in Gaza,” the foreign minister said on X, adding that Iran’s action was “concluded” unless Israel “decides to invite further retaliation”.
“In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful,” he warned. “Israel’s enablers now have a heightened responsibility to rein in the warmongers in Tel Aviv instead of getting involved in their folly,” Araghci said.
Israeli officials have promised to respond to the missile attack, saying Iran will “pay” for it.
US unlikely to stop sending weapons to Israel: Former official
PJ Crowley, a former US assistant secretary of state, says Washington is unlikely to use its leverage over Israel – such as a freeze on weapons transfers to the country – to try to de-escalate regional tensions.
“The American president is not going to do that, and he’s certainly not going to do that weeks from an American election,” Crowley told Al Jazeera. “The reality is that these are calculations that are going to be made in Jerusalem, in Beirut, in Tehran – not in Washington.”
For months, experts have criticised the Biden administration for failing to rein in the Israeli government as it waged war on the Gaza Strip, warning that the region risked being dragged into a wider conflict.
Ex-PM calls for attack on Iran, says Israel has chance to ‘change face of Middle East’
Naftali Bennett has said that after the attack by Iran, “Israel has now its greatest opportunity in 50 years, to change the face of the Middle East”.
“The leadership of Iran, which used to be good at chess, made a terrible mistake this evening. We must act *now* to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, its central energy facilities, and to fatally cripple this terrorist regime,” the former prime minister said in a social media post.
“There are times when history knocks at our door, and we must open it,” he added.
“This opportunity must not be missed.”
How much more evidence is needed to show Israel is and has been trying to provoke war with Iran with the aim of dragging the US into it. The warmongers are practically celebrating getting attacked.
So far Iran has aimed at military assets (unlike Israel) yet how many more provocations until they start bombing civilian infrastructure as well. Why can't the West see that Netanyahu is leading Israel and the ME on the path of mutual destruction.
