The United States is urgently trying to shape Israel's response to Iran's recent missile assault, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise. While Washington recognizes Israel's right to retaliate after Iran launched approximately 200 ballistic missiles at the country, US officials are pressing Israel to avoid targeting Tehran's nuclear facilities, fearing that such an action would trigger a wider regional conflict.
President Joe Biden, after consulting with his G7 counterparts on Wednesday, issued a direct message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging a measured response. “All seven of us agree that they have a right to respond, but they should respond in proportion,” Biden said, without detailing what such a response might entail. The US is especially concerned that a strike on Iran’s nuclear sites could push the region into further chaos, with unpredictable consequences for both Israel and its neighbors.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with his European counterparts from France, the UK, Germany, and Italy, emphasizing the same message. The US is keen to avoid a broader regional war, and officials are anxiously monitoring whether Netanyahu, facing mounting domestic pressure to act decisively, will consider a large-scale retaliation against Iran.
While Israel has not made a final decision on how to respond, the situation is fraught with uncertainty. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has called for a severe strike to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities, suggesting it would be an opportunity to "fatally cripple this terrorist regime." However, the US has made it clear that it does not want to see an all-out war erupt across the Middle East.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reiterated the US position, saying Washington does not want a "full-blown regional escalation." He added, "Israel has a right to respond... but we don’t want to see any action that would lead to a full-blown regional war."
The US has long been an ally of Israel, but as the stakes have grown higher in recent weeks, Washington has found itself in crisis management mode. Officials are trying to balance support for Israel's right to self-defense with the need to prevent an escalation that could engulf the entire region.
Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, noted that Washington's influence on Israel remains significant, despite some challenges. “I do see this concerted effort by US officials and Israeli officials to downplay this,” Toossi said, referring to the response to Iran’s actions. While the US played a major role in encouraging a measured Israeli response in April after an earlier missile strike by Iran, the latest escalation presents a far more volatile situation.
As Israel continues its operations in Gaza, the US has refrained from offering additional military aid to Israel at this stage. The ultimate decision now lies with Netanyahu, as both Israel and Iran appear to be taking substantial risks that could have far-reaching consequences for the region.
“Everything right now hinges on Israel's response,” Toossi concluded. “Whether it escalates into a regional war is the key issue.”
