2024-04-15 18:13:00
Biden focused on preventing Iran’s attack on Israel from escalating into broader regional conflict, White House spokesperson says
President Joe Biden, April 12, 2024. (Credit: Alex Brandon/AP)
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reiterated Monday morning that President Joe Biden is focused on preventing Iran’s attack on Israel from spiraling into a broader regional conflict.
“The fact that Iran has carried out this unprecedented attack, which we and our Israeli and other partners have thwarted, does not mean that we should accept continued and increasing escalation in the region. The president is not going to accept that, he wants to reduce tensions,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN’s Kate Bolduan this morning.
Asked if the White House’s position is that Israel not retaliate, Kirby said that is ultimately up to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, but that the United States wants tensions to ease.
“We respect their sovereign decision-making process. What we want is for tensions to decrease. We don’t want to see a broader war and everything the president has been doing, including putting American forces into the fight on Saturday night to defend Israel, which I believe is the first time that has been done, has been to de-escalate to lower tensions and put resources in the region to send a strong signal to anyone who may act once morest our interests or the interests of our allies and partners, which is unacceptable,” Kirby said.
And amid questions regarding the future of aid to Ukraine in the House of Representatives, Kirby called on President Johnson to bring the national security funding package passed by the Senate to a vote.
“What has to happen in the House of Representatives is that the bipartisan bill passed by the Senate that includes Ukraine, that includes Indo-Pacific, that includes border security, as well as Israel, has to be voted on because We know Kate that if she came to the floor today, she would have the votes to move forward,” Kirby said.
1713208878
#Breaking #news #Irans #attack #Israel #war #Hamas #situation #Gaza #live #news #reactions
