Biden administration tightlipped on Israel strike as US looks to maintain distance from decision

As Israel struck Iran overnight in what appeared to be a limited retaliation for last weekend’s attack, the Biden administration adopted a tightlipped approach that reflected US officials’ desire to keep a level of distance from the decision to strike back.

The Biden administration on Friday adopted a tightlipped approach that reflected US officials’ desire to keep a level of distance from Israel’s decision to strike back against Iran in what appeared to be a limited retaliation for last weekend’s attack. Israel has not commented on the strike, which was reported after three explosions were heard close to a major military airbase near Isfahan, state media reported early Friday morning. Iranian officials have said air defenses intercepted three drones and there were no reports of a missile attack. American officials, who said they received warning from Israel of their plans, neither endorsed nor condemned the counterstrike. Israel had told the US on Thursday that it would be retaliating against Iran in the coming days, a senior US official said, adding that the US “didn’t endorse the response.” Instead, the US sought to make clear the choice was Israel’s alone. “We were not involved,” one official said. Israel informed the US through a variety of different channels ahead of its counterstrike against Iran, a person familiar with the matter said, adding that the warning did not come far in advance but did not catch the US off-guard. Speaking at the G7 foreign ministers’ summit in Capri, the Italian foreign minister said the US received word from Israel at the “last minute” of its plans to retaliate. The person familiar said the heads-up came on Thursday.