- President Biden announces US will not participate in Israeli retaliation against Iran
- Decision follows mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory
- Biden emphasizes desire to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East
Eko hot blog reports that In response to mounting tensions in the Middle East, President Joe Biden has declared that the United States will not partake in any retaliatory measures against Iran, as favored by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet.
The decision follows a recent mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory, prompting concerns of a potential full-scale conflict in the region.
“The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict.
Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate,” expressed United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a Security Council meeting convened to address the escalating situation.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood urged the council to condemn Iran’s attack unequivocally.
He emphasized that while Washington would explore additional measures at the United Nations to hold Iran accountable, the U.S. cautioned against further aggression, warning Iran of consequences if it targets the United States or Israel again.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin engaged with counterparts in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan, stressing the importance of avoiding escalation and coordinating a diplomatic response.
They reiterated the United States’ commitment to supporting Israel’s defense.
Despite the U.S. stance, Israeli officials disclosed that Netanyahu’s war cabinet had discussed retaliatory actions during a meeting, although opinions were divided on the timing and magnitude of any potential response.
While the threat of a broader conflict has left markets uneasy, early Asia trading remained relatively calm, with oil prices slightly down, gold prices up, and the dollar holding steady.
The recent attack by Iran, involving over 300 missiles and drones, was allegedly in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria earlier in the month.
Despite the significant scale of the attack, Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, along with support from the U.S., Britain, France, and Jordan, managed to intercept most of the incoming threats, resulting in minimal damage in Israel.