The Jewish state issued a “limited” strike early Friday, despite the White House expressing opposition to Israel striking back against Iran.
Fox News Digital confirmed there was an explosion in Isfahan province, where Natanz is located, but it is not clear whether there was an explosion.
A leading military official told Fox that the attack was “limited.”
The news came after President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would not participate in a counterattack against Iran.
Israel strikes Iranian compound in retaliation for weekend attack: source
Democrats have expressed concern that President Biden has undermined his standing among progressives by supporting Israel. The president criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his actions during Israel’s war with Hamas. (Getty Images)
White House national security official John Kirby said on ABC’s “This Week” program on Sunday, April 14, that the United States continues to help defend Israel, but does not want war with Iran. No, he said.
Asked if the U.S. would support retaliation, Kirby said “our commitment is ironclad” to defend Israel and “assist Israel in its defense of itself.”
White House National Security and Public Affairs Advisor John Kirby during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Monday, April 15, 2024 in Washington, DC, USA. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Kirby further emphasized the fact that Biden is “not seeking” war with Iran.
“And as the president has said many times, we’re not seeking a broader war in the region. We’re not seeking a war with Iran. And I’m going to leave it at that. ”Kirby added.
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“We are not seeking an escalation of tensions in the region. We are not seeking an escalation of conflict,” Kirby said.
Pentagon Spokesperson Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder speaks during a press conference at the Pentagon on October 19, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder echoed Kirby’s sentiments, telling a news conference that the United States “doesn’t want a broader regional war.”
“As we have emphasized in the past, we do not seek escalation in the region, but we will not hesitate to defend Israel and protect our personnel.” he said on the way Q&A portion of the briefing.
“Again, we do not want a broader regional war,” he added. “We do not seek conflict with Iran, but we will not hesitate to engage in conflict with Iran.” [the] We will take whatever action is necessary to protect our military. ”
Iranian medium-range ballistic missile “Heibel (Hurremshahr-4)” launched during a promotional program organized with the participation of senior military officials on May 7, 2023 in Tehran, Iran. (Iranian Ministry of Defense/Hanodut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Reports of Israel’s “limited strikes” against Iran follow retaliatory strikes over the weekend.
Iran attacked Israel over the weekend in retaliation. Israel’s deadly attack About the Iranian consulate in Syria, where more than a dozen people, including the top commander, were killed earlier this month.
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The weekend attacks by Iran marked a significant escalation in violence. Despite decades of hostility between the two countries, Iran has never attacked Israel directly, relying instead on proxy forces in Iraq, Lebanon and elsewhere.
FOX News’ Bradford Betts and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
