After pushing for Hamas ceasefire deal, Biden administration finally changes its stance on Israel

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration says there is a significant difference between the actions of Israel, which has expanded its war against Iran-backed terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah, and Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes against Israel, which it has increasingly condemned. .

In carefully measured comments, officials across the administration are defending Increase in attacks by Israel against Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon, while vowing peace and retaliation after Iran fired nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday.

President Joe Biden praised US and Israeli forces defeat the barrage and warned, “Make no mistake, the United States fully supports Israel.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Iranian missile attack “Completely unacceptable, and the entire world must condemn this.”

There was little criticism that Israel might have provoked Iran’s attack. “Obviously, this is a significant escalation by Iran,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.

Exactly one week after making an urgent call for a Immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah To avoid possibility of all-out war in the Middle East, the administration has changed its messaging as Israel moves forward ground infiltration in lebanon Killed after massive airstrike in Beirut on Friday Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Abbas Nilforoushan.

US officials insist that they have repeatedly come out in support of Israel’s right to defend itself and that any changes in their language merely reflect evolving conditions on the ground. And, officials say, the administration’s goal — a ceasefire — remains steadfast.

America praised and defended Israel in a series of ways Hezbollah leaders killed in recent attacksContrary to repeated criticism Israel’s war in Gaza In which civilians have been killed, the US has taken a different stance on the attacks targeting Nasrallah and others He may have killed innocent people,

At the Pentagon, however, Major General Pat Ryder clarified that the US is still “laser focused” on preventing it. wider conflict in the middle eastIt gave Israel wide latitude to go after Hezbollah to protect itself.

“We understand and support Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah,” Ryder said. “We understand that part of this is to destroy some of the attack infrastructure that Hezbollah has built along the border.”

He said the US was going to consult with Israel as it conducted limited operations against Hezbollah targets along the border “that could be used to threaten Israeli civilians.” The goal, he said, is to allow citizens on both sides of the border return to your homes,

Part of the U.S.’s ongoing discussions with Israel will focus on ensuring there is an understanding about potential “mission creep” that could further escalate tensions, Ryder said.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Tuesday that Israel’s targeting of senior Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, as well as the launch of ground incursions into Lebanon, were justified because they were carried out in self-defense.

“If you look at the actions they took, they were bringing terrorists to justice, terrorists who have carried out attacks on Israeli civilians,” Miller said.

In contrast, he said Iran’s response was dangerous and stressful because it was done in support of Hamas and Hezbollah, both of which are US designated terrorist organization To which Iran gives money and support.

“What you saw (was) Iran launching state-on-state attacks to protect and defend the terrorist groups that it created, nurtured and controlled,” Miller said. “So there is a difference in actions.”

However, Israel’s all-out defense may come with risks. So far, there is little evidence that the Biden administration’s cease-fire pressure and warnings about broadening the conflict have had much of an impact on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In comments on Monday, John Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said America’s influence on Netanyahu seems to be decreasing And he seems to have been “baffled by US warnings about starting a regional war.”

“The White House should be concerned that the continued inability to make diplomatic progress weakens American influence in the Middle East and around the world,” Alterman said. There would have been much greater risk otherwise.”