President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US will not participate in offensive operations against Iran and advised Israel to avoid retaliating over this weekend's unprecedented drone and missile strikes, according to a senior administration official who spoke to NBC News.
In a call on Sunday night, Biden stressed that while the US commitment to defend Israel is "ironclad," Israel should "take the win" and not escalate tensions with Iran since the attack appeared to cause minimal damage and casualties, the official said.
The warning from Biden came as top US officials voiced concerns that Israel could respond quickly to the Iranian assault without fully considering potential fallout, according to a senior administration official and senior defense official cited by news outlets.
Israel claimed its military and allies intercepted 99% of the 300 Iranian drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles before they reached targets. However, the chief of Iran's armed forces threatened a "much larger" attack if Israel retaliated, and warned US bases in the region could be targeted if America joins any Israeli response.
As fears mounted over a broader regional conflict, Biden planned to convene G7 leaders Monday to discuss a "united diplomatic response," while the UN Security Council was also set to meet.
Biden reiterated America's "ironclad" commitment to Israeli security in his call with Netanyahu, according to the NBC News official. But he made clear the US would not join offensive actions against Iran, urging restraint to avoid inflaming the crisis further.
Iran said it struck Israeli territory in retaliation for an April airstrike that killed two Iranian commanders in Syria.
