In a conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Saturday, Biden sought to frame Israel’s successful interception of the Iranian onslaught as a major victory — with the suggestion that further Israeli response was unnecessary.
Biden told the Israeli prime minister in his phone call that he should consider Saturday a win because Iran’s attacks had been largely unsuccessful and demonstrated Israel’s superior military capability, a senior administration official said.
Even as American officials stressed to their counterparts that the final decision on how to respond to Iran is up to Israel, Biden has sought to prevent a wider escalation of the conflict.
In this handout photo, released early Sunday local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talks on the phone with US President Joe Biden.
“I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks — sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel,” Biden said in a statement following his conversation with Netanyahu.
Persons:
Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, John Kirby, ” Kirby, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Lloyd Austin, Yoav Gallant, “, Israel, ” Biden, Netanyahu, Kirby, Israel —, ”, Tapper, Gallant, Hossein, CNN’s Catherine Nicholls, Tamar Michaelis
Organizations:
CNN, White House, Union . ”, Seven, Sunday, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Locations:
Israel, Iran, “ State, Gaza, Tehran