US won't join any Israeli retaliation against Iran: US official
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US President Joe Biden has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "think carefully" about retaliating at Iran, and "Israel" is not looking to worsen the situation, a US source said Sunday.
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US President Joe Biden and his national security team receive an update on the attack on "Israel" from Iran on April 13, 2024 (AP)
A senior US official told AFP on Sunday that the US will not join any prospective Israeli strike against Iran in response to Tehran's retaliatory strike.
The US official told reporters that the US would "not be a part of any response they do," adding that"We would not envision ourselves participating in such an act."
US President Joe Biden has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "think carefully" about retaliating at Iran, and "Israel" is not looking to worsen the situation, a US source said Sunday.
"The Israelis made clear to us they're not looking for a significant escalation with Iran," the official explained to AFP, adding that Biden "made very clear to the prime minister last night that we do have to think carefully and strategically about the risks of escalation."
A senior White House official told Axios that Biden told Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his country opposes any Israeli response to the Iranian retaliatory strike.
The White House confirmed Sunday that Biden spoke by telephone with Netanyahu following the unprecedented Iranian retaliation on "Israel" in response to the strike that targeted Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1.
Following the call, Biden said US forces have "helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles." He also announced that he "will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack."
But an American official informed CNN that Biden told Netanyahu that the United States would not participate in offensive operations against Iran.
Shortly after the Iranian retaliatory attack, the IRGC warned the US government that supporting or taking part in harming Iran's interests would result in a decisive response by the Iranian Armed Forces.
US-Israeli deterrence a 'massive failure' against Iran: John Bolton
The United States Former National Security Advisor, John Bolton, said Iran's retaliatory operation on Saturday night was "a massive failure of Israeli and American deterrence".
In an interview with CNN, Bolton stated that regardless of the magnitude of damage caused by Iran's attack against occupied territories, the US and "Israel" should restore deterrence by a disproportionate and "far stronger" Israeli response.
He claimed this would teach Iran that what it hopes to achieve from a future attack "would be far outweighed by the damage that would be caused" by "Israel's" response.
Amid Operation True Promise, US officials announced that the US would help "Israel" intercept and deter Iranian drones. However, Israeli and American defenses failed as Iranian drones and ballistic missiles rushed to meet their targets on occupied territories.
Israeli journalist Amir Bohbot considered that any future confrontation with Iran could end with "a barrage of drones and ballistic missiles," similar to those that targeted the occupied territories early Sunday, as "the dam (barrier) was breached and has collapsed."
