President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the U.S. will not take part in a counter-offensive against Iran, an option that Netanyahu’s war cabinet favors after a mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory, according to officials.

The threat of open warfare erupting between the arch Middle East foes and dragging in the United States has put the region on edge, triggering calls for restraint from global powers and Arab nations to avoid further escalation.

The U.S. will continue to help Israel defend itself but does not want war, John Kirby, the White House’s top national security spokesperson, told ABC’s “This Week” program on Sunday.

Jordan’s King Abdullah told Biden in a phone call on Sunday that any further escalation from Israel would widen the conflict in the region, Jordanian state media reported.

  • GrymEdm@lemmy.world
    804·
    7 months ago

    I sincerely hope that this time the “line that we refuse to cross with you” is an actual line and not just words because that makes this actually good news. A new open war in the Middle East isn’t good for anything except keeping Netanyahu in power via a constant state of conflict and plowing even more money into the arms sector. That last bit is why I have to stop at hopeful, because we’ve seen bad wars for profit happen before.

    • Jamil@lemm.ee
      101·
      7 months ago

      “We’re not going to help them commit their actions, just make sure they don’t suffer any consequences from them”

    • TWeaK@lemm.eeEnglish
      52·
      7 months ago

      Given that Israel have said they won’t retaliate again, maybe it’s true.

      Israel could still go back on their word, though, and that wouldn’t be particularly surprising.

    • JeromeVancouver@lemmy.ca
      182·
      7 months ago

      The U.S. will continue to help Israel defend itself but does not want war, John Kirby, the White House’s top national security spokesperson, told ABC’s “This Week” program on Sunday

        • sudo
          14·
          7 months ago

          We can stipulate that they are for “defensive purposes only”. Like we did for Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

          • halcyoncmdr@lemmy.worldEnglish
            131·
            7 months ago

            And when they violate that agreement will we do anything about it? No, we won’t, not with Israel. They’re just meaningless platitudes with the Israelis.

            • sudo
              141·
              7 months ago

              (Saudi Arabia killed ~400k yemeni’s with our “defensive weapons”)

              • halcyoncmdr@lemmy.worldEnglish
                7·
                7 months ago

                I never said the Saudis followed through with their end of that either. Just that the Israelis would not follow through with that and repercussions wouldn’t happen if they didn’t.

  • Etterra@lemmy.world
    96·
    7 months ago

    Israel: America, we are allies, come help us!

    America: dafuq you think we should you all those missiles for, jackass? It sure as hell wasn’t to exterminate Gazans.

  • Spiralvortexisalie@lemmy.worldEnglish
    931·
    7 months ago

    But guys Trump will destroy the middle east if we don’t arm Israel, how can you be so antisemitic? Remember Blue no matter who in November!

    ETA: https://www.dw.com/en/iran-attack-will-be-met-with-a-response-israel-says/live-68819687? but ya know lets see what Genocide Joe does, maybe he’ll do one of his monthly student loan forgiveness plans that seem to affect no one to compensate for lying again