Biden strives to avert wider conflict in wake of Iran’s assault on Israel

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden and his team are urgently working to de-escalate tensions and prevent further conflict escalation in the Middle East following Iran’s unprecedented assault on Israeli territory over the weekend.

Iran launched hundreds of air threats towards Israel on April 13, citing retaliation for an alleged Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria in early April. This attack represents the first direct military assault on Israel by Tehran.

Israel, with support from the United States, the UK, France, and other allies, successfully intercepted 99 percent of the projectiles fired by Iran. Minimal damage was reported to Israel’s infrastructure, as confirmed by both U.S. and Israeli officials.

The Israeli war cabinet convened a meeting on Sunday to discuss a response to the attack. Iran issued a warning that any Israeli retaliation would result in a “decisive and much stronger response.”

Despite this, the White House clarified that the United States would not partake in any offensive actions against Iran if Israel were to retaliate.

“We do not seek conflict with Iran. We are not interested in escalating the situation,” stated White House national security spokesman John Kirby on April 14.

Reports suggested that President Biden cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against supporting retaliatory actions towards Iran during their phone call on Saturday.

President Biden affirmed “America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel” in a statement following his conversation with Mr. Netanyahu.

“I emphasized that Israel showed remarkable capabilities in defending against and overcoming even unprecedented attacks, sending a strong message to its adversaries that they cannot threaten Israel’s security effectively,” he stated.

President Biden cut short his stay at his Delaware beach house on April 13 to convene with his National Security team in the White House Situation Room for real-time updates on the missile attacks on Israel.

Considering Israel’s successful defense against the attack, President Biden and his team advocate for no further escalation by the Israeli government.

However, it remains uncertain whether Mr. Netanyahu and his administration will heed President Biden’s counsel.

“Israel will decide on its own actions. But we have conveyed our thoughts,” a senior administration official conveyed to reporters on April 14.

He disclosed that the phone call between President Biden and Mr. Netanyahu occurred during the attack on Israel, describing it as an “intensely emotional period.”

“It was a time of heightened emotions,” he remarked, mentioning ongoing discussions with the Israelis since then.

President Biden “clearly communicated to the prime minister last night that we must consider carefully and strategically the risks of escalation.”

The official also confirmed that the United States will refrain from participating in any retaliation against Iran.

“We are committed to defending Israel. We will not be involved in any response they decide to take. This is a consistent U.S. policy,” he affirmed.

According to the Pentagon, Tehran launched over 300 munitions, including more than 100 medium-range ballistic missiles, around 30 land attack cruise missiles, and over 150 one-way attack drones aimed towards Israel.

The attacks originated from sites in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, according to a senior U.S. defense official.

The attack was anticipated as Iran had publicly vowed to retaliate against the airstrike that destroyed its consulate in Damascus, resulting in the deaths of high-ranking Iranian military personnel.

Although Israel did not claim responsibility for the airstrike, Iran’s Islamic leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei asserted that Israel “must and shall be punished.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog framed Iran’s strike on Israel as a “declaration of war,” yet stressed that Israel still pursues peace.

“We were attacked last night from four corners of the Middle East with proxies shooting at us, firing ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles,” Mr. Herzog detailed during an interview with Sky News. “This is like a real war. I mean, this is a declaration of war.”

He urged global leaders to condemn Iran’s actions, branding them “unacceptable” and calling for the world to address the “empire of evil in Tehran.”

G7 Leaders Condemn Iran

President Biden convened a virtual meeting on April 14 with leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) to coordinate a united response to Iran’s attack. Subsequent to their meeting, the G7 nations, comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, issued a statement censuring the Islamic regime.

“We, the Leaders of the G7, unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack against Israel. Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel. Israel, with the help of its partners, defeated the attack,” the statement reads.

The G7 leaders reiterated their full support for Israel and reaffirmed their commitment to its security.

“With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilization of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided. We will continue to work to stabilize the situation and avoid further escalation,” the G7 countries stated, urging Iran and its proxies to halt their assaults.

The leaders also underscored their dedication to resolving the crisis in Gaza, striving for an “immediate and sustainable ceasefire,” the release of hostages held by the Hamas terrorist group, and providing increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.

As per the White House, the G7 leaders discussed the possibility of imposing sanctions on Iran, but no consensus has been reached.

While deliberating on sanctions against Iran, the G7 leaders encountered some challenges that need to be overcome to progress, as per the senior administration official.

Iran on April 14 issued a threat of a larger attack if either nation retaliates against Tehran’s recent missile and drone strike, warning that U.S. military bases could be potential targets.

“Our response will be much larger than tonight’s military action if Israel retaliates against Iran,” articulated armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri to state-run media. He cautioned that Iran informed the United States that any support for an Israeli counterattack against Iran would result in American bases being targeted.

Jack Phillips and Joseph Lord contributed to this report.