Biden does not support attacking Iran’s nuclear sites as Israel responds to missile launches

US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he will not support Israeli strikes on sites linked to Tehran’s nuclear program in response to the Iran missile attack on Israel.

“The answer is no,” Biden told reporters when asked if he would support this type of retaliation after Iran launched approximately 180 missiles toward Israel the day before.

Biden’s remarks came after he and the leaders of the Group of Seven of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom spoke by phone to coordinate new sanctions against Iran.

The United States and its allies are struggling to try to the conflict in the Middle East — sparked by the Iranian-backed Hamas assault on southern Israel on October 7 — will expand. They are calling on Israel to exercise restraint as it weighs its retaliation against Iran for Tuesday’s attack.

Israel is currently carrying out what it has described as limited ground operations on its northern border with Lebanon to flush out Hezbollah, another Iranian-backed group, after carrying out a series of massive airstrikes that left people dead. of the leader of the political-paramilitary group, Hassan Nasrallah, and decimated his leadership.

Last month, thousands of explosives hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah detonated, killing dozens of people and maiming thousands, including many civilians. Israel is believed to have been behind the attack.

Biden voiced his opposition to Israel hitting Iranian nuclear facilities as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighed a variety of options for how to respond to Tuesday’s attack. It was the second such attack by Iran against Israel in less than six months.

Israel’s options range from a largely symbolic attack — similar to how it responded after Iran launched a barrage of missiles and carried out drone strikes in April — against oil facilities and other infrastructure.

Attacking Iran’s controversial nuclear program is seen as perhaps the most provocative action Israel could take. It is a measure that the American president believes would further intensify the conflict in the Middle East, which he already fears could expand into a regional conflict.

The White House said in a statement that G7 leaders “unequivocally condemn Iran’s attack on Israel” and that Biden reaffirmed “full solidarity and support for Israel and its people.”

Biden added that he supports Israel’s right to defend itself and that “there are things that have to be done” in response to the Iranian attack. He commented that he hoped that the sanctions of the G7 member countries would be announced soon.

He also said he planned to speak with Netanyahu “relatively soon.”

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