The White House said Sunday it had not received advance warning of the airstrike that killed Hezbollah leader Syed Hassan Nasrallah outside Beirut and assumed there were civilian casualties, while Israel He reaffirmed his “ironclad” support for the United States.
National security spokesman John Kirby said the United States was not informed of the airstrike and that President Joe Biden only learned of it after Israeli warplanes had already struck.
Kirby also said in an interview with CNN that there was “no question” that civilians were killed in the attack. “We certainly assume there were civilian casualties. I don’t think we can quantify that right now, but we are in contact with our Israeli counterparts,” Kirby said. he said.
Iran said the US was “complicit” in Israel’s actions and vowed to retaliate for Friday’s massive Beirut airstrike. The airstrike killed Prime Minister Nasrallah and raised concerns that the Middle East conflict could spiral out of control.
Joe Biden stepped off a plane at Dover Air Force Base on Sunday, saying “we really have to avoid” all-out war in the Middle East and saying he would meet with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We were concerned from the beginning that this could escalate into a regional war,” Kirby said. “We will monitor the rhetoric coming out of Iran and we will monitor what they do. We have the ability to protect our forces and facilities and Israel itself if the need arises.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly learned about the strikes only after arriving in Washington from a speech in New York. He said he believes diplomacy is the best path forward as Israel continues to bomb Lebanon.
Blinken told reporters in New York on Friday afternoon that the Middle East and the world were facing “dangerous times.”
On Saturday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Israeli Defense Secretary Yoav Gallant to discuss the situation in Lebanon. According to the Pentagon, Austin said Israel has the right to defend itself and that the United States is “committed to deterring Iran and Iranian-backed partners and proxies from taking advantage of the situation or escalating the conflict.” I’m doing it,” he repeated.
“Our support for Israel’s security remains steadfast and that will not change,” Kirby said Sunday.
But that does not mean Biden and Netanyahu are “incapable of having tough conversations with each other, and President Biden will continue to advocate for the right to protect civilians,” he added.
“I don’t think anyone mourns the death of Mr. Nasrallah, a well-known terrorist with American and Israeli blood in his veins. We do not mourn his death, but the loss of civilian life,” Kirby said. That certainly makes me sad.”
But he refused to get drawn into criticism of Israel’s tactic of dropping bombs, reportedly American-made, near the densely populated Beirut suburbs. “Destroying Hezbollah’s chain of command certainly works to Israel’s advantage, and is good for the region and the world.
“We continue to consult with the Israeli side about what the right next steps are…and the president believes that we need time and space for diplomacy. This means that we hope for a cease-fire.”
Political leaders also spoke out on Sunday about the Israeli attack in Beirut.
“The IDF has sent a strong message to Hezbollah,” Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Calif., told NBC.
“I’m glad Nasrallah is dead. He’s a terrorist. He killed so many innocent people and that needs to be dealt with. It’s been dealt with.”
Kerry said Israel had made progress regarding concerns about civilian casualties.
“We’ve seen some positive responses,” he said. “The use of guided weapons, JDAM, is increasing and we continue to provide those weapons. That 2,000-pound bomb that was used to take down Nasrallah was the guided weapon that was used in that incident. I’m sure.”
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio was asked if he thought Iran would retaliate. “That would be Iran’s decision,” Rubio said. “Anytime the Iranian regime comes to its defense, it’s good for the world, it’s good for America, it’s good for Israel.”
