John Bolton warns that Israel faces pressure from Biden administration to refrain from further retaliation against Iran
‘It’s a difficult position to be in,’ Mr. Bolton said. ‘I think Iran was very, very lucky here.’
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton mentioned that Israel was under immense pressure from the Biden administration to avoid further retaliation against Iran after Tehran’s recent attack. Israel retaliated by launching an attack on Iran in response to Tehran’s firing of over 300 missiles and drones into Israeli territory last week.
During an interview on the “Cats & Cosby” radio show on April 19, Mr. Bolton expressed that Israel faced a challenging situation under pressure from the White House.
‘I think what Israel did, as far as it went, was fine,’ Mr. Bolton stated. ‘I think they were under enormous pressure, I mean, enormous pressure, from the Biden administration not to do more, and I can appreciate that. It’s a difficult position to be in.’
The retaliatory strike from Israel targeted Iran’s major air base and nuclear facilities but caused no damage to the nuclear sites. Explosions were reported near the Iranian city of Isfahan, a significant location in Iran’s nuclear program, and air defenses were activated across the country.
Iran downplayed the attack and did not officially acknowledge Israel’s involvement. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi stated that the explosion in Isfahan was related to the firing of air defense systems at a suspicious object that did not cause any damage, as reported by the Associated Press.
Mr. Bolton noted that the Israel war cabinet desired a more extensive retaliation and believed that Israel should have taken more decisive action, mentioning that Iran was fortunate to have avoided a harsher response.
Last week, Iran initiated an attack on Israel after Israel bombed a Syrian compound in early April, resulting in the death of seven high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Israel successfully intercepted over 99% of the drones and missiles during the attacks with assistance from the United States and other allies.
Despite aiding Israel in interception, the Biden administration avoided participation in any retaliatory attack to prevent further escalation and potential broader conflict in the region.
Mr. Bolton highlighted that the Biden administration pressured Israel due to concerns about a wider conflict leading to increased global oil prices and higher gasoline prices in the United States, causing political issues with the left wing of the Democratic Party.
After the attack on Israel, Mr. Bolton criticized the White House for advising against retaliation and mentioned that Gulf Arab states perceive the U.S. as weak due to Biden administration policies towards Iran in the Middle East.
During an interview on CNN, Mr. Bolton criticized President Biden for urging Israel not to retaliate, calling it ‘an embarrassment’ and emphasizing the importance of containing Iran to ensure peace and security in the region.
T.J. Muscaro contributed to this report.
