US President Joe Biden holds a press conference at the conclusion of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, May 21, 2023.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
The White House is taking a “wait-and-see” attitude toward President Joe Biden’s attempted attack on Israel by Iran, national security spokesman John Kirby said Sunday. diplomacy Not military action.
“I think we’ll have to wait and see what decisions the Israelis make,” Kirby said on “Fox News Sunday.” “President Biden has worked hard since this conflict began to prevent it from escalating into a broader regional war and to prevent tensions from escalating.”
Iran fired hundreds of air weapons at Israel on Saturday, including more than 100 ballistic missiles, most of which were intercepted by a coordinated effort by Israel, the United States, and other partners in the region.
“There has been virtually no damage to infrastructure in Israel,” a senior government official told reporters in a conference call Sunday.
The Biden administration is working to calm the aftermath of the attempted attack, which was initially seen as potentially sparking an all-out war in the Middle East.
“This attack, if successful, could have triggered uncontrollable escalation and widespread regional conflict, something we have worked tirelessly to prevent since October 7,” the official said. I’ve been working on it,” he said.
Israel has made clear to the United States that it “does not want any serious escalation with Iran,” the official added.
On Sunday, Biden convened G7 leaders to discuss the attack on Iran. Biden said in a statement Saturday that the meeting was designed to “coordinate a unified diplomatic response,” suggesting the White House is committed to responding through diplomacy rather than military retaliation. .
During the meeting, G7 leaders discussed sanctions and the possibility of other countries cooperating with the United States to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, the official said.
In a statement after the meeting, the leaders said they would “continue to work to stabilize the situation and avoid further escalation.”
On Saturday, Iran said the attack “can be considered over,” according to an Iranian government statement. Iran’s UN missionsuggesting that the escalation may be subsided, at least for now.
The statement added: “If the Israeli regime makes another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably harsher.”
The Iranian government had previously warned that it was planning retaliation following the April 1 attack on its consulate in Damascus, which it blamed on Israel. Israel, on the other hand, vowed to “react and attack” if Iran complies with such threats.
Telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin prime minister netanyahu On Saturday night, Biden said the U.S. remains committed to helping Israel defend itself, but the U.S. will not participate in offensive operations against Iran, a senior administration official told NBC News.
“It’s up to the Israelis to decide what the next step is here,” Kirby said.
