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President Joe Biden said he does not support Israel striking Iran’s nuclear sites in response to the missile attack against its people. ‘The answer is no,’ he told reporters traveling with him to South Carolina to see fallout from Hurricane Helene.
Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Iran would pay for the attack. Some analysts worry that could mean an attack on Iranian nuclear sites.
Biden noted the G7 leaders held a call earlier in the day and supported Israel – to a point. ‘We’ll be discussing with the Israelis what they’re going to do, but all seven of us agree that they have a right to respond but the response – but they should respond proportionally,’ he said.
The G7 comprises the United States, Canada, Britain, Italy, France, Germany and Japan. The leaders said that a diplomatic solution was still viable and a region-wide conflict was in no one’s interest.
Biden said there would be more sanctions imposed on Iran and said he would speak soon with Netanyahu. ‘Obviously, Iran is way off course,’ he said.
Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesman, said the U.S. would continue discussing with Israel what form its response to Iran would take.
‘But ultimately, it’s up to them — as it is for any sovereign country — to make their own decisions,’ Miller noted.
The escalation on multiple fronts has raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East that could further draw in Iran – which backs Hezbollah and Hamas – as well as the United States, which has rushed military assets to the region in support of Israel.
Israel and Hezbollah said their troops were fighting at close range in southern Lebanon. Israel said eight of its soldiers had been killed.
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