Israel will consider the United States’s opinion but will act against an Iranian missile attack based on its own “national interests”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Tuesday, October 15.
US President Joe Biden has warned Israel against striking Iran’s nuclear or oil facilities to avoid a further regional escalation and amid concerns over global energy prices. Also, the Washington Post shared a report this week citing unnamed US officials, that Netanyahu had reassured the White House any counterstrike would be limited to military sites.
The Wall Street Journal claimed the assurance was made in a call last week between Netanyahu and Biden, as well as in conversations between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant but the PM has dismissed the report saying Israel will do what is best for Israel.
“We listen to the opinions of the United States, but we will make our final decisions based on our national interest,” the PM’s office said.
Iran launched about 200 missiles at Israel on October 1 in retaliation for an Israeli strike in Beirut that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian general Abbas Nilforoushan.
Israel has vowed to retaliate for the Iranian missile attack, with Defence Minister Gallant saying the response would be “deadly, precise, and surprising”.
