In the face of mounting tensions across the Middle East, President Joe Biden defended Israel’s freedom to strike back at Iran’s missiles but called for due restraint in reprisals. More than 180 ballistic missiles were fired at Israel in the attack, raising concerns about a wider tension between the two countries. Biden told reporters prior to take off on Air Force One he supports diplomatic and proportionate response, “We’ll be discussing with the Israelis what they’re going to do, but all seven of us [G7 nations] agree that they have a right to respond, but they should respond proportionally.
Biden was saying this because he sought advice from the G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK) on how to deal with the crisis. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also shared details of the conversation saying that Biden and the G7 leaders agreed on the necessity of an integrated effort that included retaliatory additional sanctions against Iran for the attack.
“Our United States will never cease its support for Israel,” said the president who reiterated that he believed an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear arsenal is not an option: “No,” Biden replied, indicating he’s going to prefer sanctions and diplomacy over increased war.
It comes as the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to strike back, and that Iran will “pay a high price” for its actions. Though Netanyahu implied that Israel’s reaction may be more violent than the past — perhaps an attack on Iran’s nuclear or oil facilities — the United States and its allies appear to be focused on diplomatic avenues to soften up.
The missile attack has alarmed the world and led to fears of a larger regional conflict among Iran’s proxy allies and allies (including Hezbollah in Lebanon and militias in Iraq and Syria). American leaders denounced the move by Iran but reaffirm diplomatic options while continuing to explore military options.
Assisted by Israel, the US, United Kingdom and France came together overnight to save Israel from the assault, demonstrating the strength of close military collaboration among the countries.
While Iran’s conduct has been fiercely criticized, Biden’s outright opposition to attacking Iranian nuclear weapons appears to indicate that the United States doesn’t want to open up the door to a greater war. Rather, Biden signaled further economic sanctions on Tehran, designed to retaliate against the regime without propping up into a civil war.
It’s a moderation that could cause issues with Israel, where some officials and military personnel demand more direct action against Iran. Commentators guess that Israeli officials are contemplating their choices in the face of huge regional and global consequences.
This conflict, which occurred only weeks before the U.S. presidential election, has led to speculation on the political intent of the U.S. government. Critics think the Biden team may be putting the emphasis on global diplomacy in order to avoid a costly, destabilizing war that could influence voters. Any confrontation with Iran will drag the United States further into a tense battle, with serious consequences for Biden’s reelection prospects.
Conversely, Biden’s admonition might appeal to voters tired of war in the Middle East who want negotiations instead. By supporting sanctions and proportional response, Biden casts himself as a stability and peace leader in contrast to some in Israel and the US Congress who are far more hawkish.
Netanyahu, in turn, is subject to domestic demands, and hardliners in Israel demand a tough military response. Israel’s leaders have generally stood on their own feet in security matters, but given the intimate relationship between the US and Israel, Biden’s view will be a crucial part of any decision.
Things are still at a loose end, so it could go up a notch over the next couple of days. Biden’s plan appears to be to remain internationally unified with G7 countries while deploying diplomatic and economic tools to make Iran pay. Will that work to prevent the violence, we won’t know until it does, but there could not be a more important issue for the area—or Biden’s presidency.
