According to the report, several members were Israeli Defense Cabinet They support a retaliatory attack, but the lack of serious damage caused by Iran, combined with Netanyahu's conversation with Biden, led to it being called off.
The newspaper quoted American officials as saying that President Biden informed Israel that the interception of all Iranian drones and missiles used to attack it constitutes a major victory, and therefore further retaliation may not be necessary.
It was not immediately clear whether he was the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu He and his government will agree to leave the matter at that. Although the damage from the attack was relatively light, the scope of the strikes far exceeded the tit-for-tat shadow war between Iran and Israel in recent years, crossing the red line by launching weapons from Iranian territory into Israeli territory. If the defenses had not held, dozens or hundreds could have been killed.
Biden spoke with Netanyahu after the Iranian attack and reiterated his “firm commitment” to Israel’s security. While the US President did not publicly reveal any advice he gave, he hinted, in a statement issued after the call, about his desire for restraint, according to the New York Times.
“I told him that Israel has demonstrated a remarkable ability to defend against and defeat unprecedented attacks — sending a clear message to its enemies that they cannot effectively threaten Israel’s security,” Biden said.
He pledged to hold a leaders' meeting Group of Seven Industrial City on Sunday, to coordinate a “unified diplomatic response,” referring to his preferred path forward after the attack. The UN Security Council is also scheduled to meet in an emergency session later Sunday.
The Axios news website also reported that the US President informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would oppose an Israeli counterattack on Iran, and that the Prime Minister should be “satisfied with this victory.”
“Taken together, Joe Biden’s message is designed to gently persuade Israel not to pursue further escalation,” Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, wrote on social media.
The White House does not want escalation in the Middle East
A senior White House official announced on Sunday that the United States does not want an escalation of the crisis in the Middle East.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told NBC: “We do not want to see an escalation of the situation, and we do not seek a more widespread war with… Iran“.
He added that the United States will remain prepared to confront any Iranian threat to American forces. He said: “We made clear to all parties, including Iran, what we will do… as well as how seriously we will deal with any potential threats to our crews.”
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday, in an attack that could lead to a major escalation between the two regional enemies, amid the United States’ pledge to support Israel.
