4 weeks ago
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to remark connected nan Biden administration's response, peculiarly a deficiency thereof, escalating tensions successful nan Middle East during her Friday greeting property briefing.
"I cognize there's a batch of liking successful reports from nan Middle East overnight. And we understand that, we get that. I'm going to spot it now, though. I cognize you will each surely inquire maine astir it. That we do not person immoderate remark connected nan reports astatine this time. Obviously, you each heard from Secretary Blinken earlier this morning," Jean-Pierre said.
Jean-Pierre added that President Biden is kept successful nan loop and up-to-date connected everything happening pinch unrest successful nan Middle East.
This comes aft Israel carried retired constricted strikes connected Iran early Friday successful retaliation for Tehran firing a barrage of missiles and drones astatine Israel past Saturday.
IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAKES NO MENTION OF ISRAELI STRIKE DESPITE THREATENING COMPLETE DESTRUCTION
During Friday's WH property briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to remark connected nan overnight unrest successful nan Middle East. (Getty Images)
Fox News confirmed location person been explosions successful Iran's Isfahan province, which is wherever Natanz, 1 of Iran's atomic facilities, is located.
Jean-Pierre said nan White House does not want to spot conflict escalate successful nan Middle East.
"We person been very, very clear from nan opening that we do not want to spot this conflict escalate. We proceed to consult pinch our friends and partners, including successful nan region, obviously, and to trim further consequence of escalation successful nan region. And that's a sentiment that was expressed successful nan G-7 Foreign Ministry's associated connection that went retired this morning," Jean-Pierre said. "You heard that now, obviously, from Secretary Blinken, who was portion of that meeting. I'm conscionable going to beryllium ace mindful. I'm not going to estimate aliases speak to immoderate of nan reportings that are retired location astatine this time."
When asked whether nan U.S. was informed by nan Israelis up of nan antagonistic strike, Jean-Pierre still declined to comment.
"I'm not going to speak to our negotiated conversations," Jean-Pierre stated.
She besides declined to reply if nan U.S. has leverage successful nan Middle East aft being questioned astir President Biden's consequence of "don't" to immoderate Iranian retaliation.
ISRAEL STRIKES SITE IN IRAN IN RETALIATION FOR WEEKEND ASSAULT: SOURCE
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre talks to reporters during nan regular news convention successful nan Brady Press Briefing Room astatine nan White House connected February 28, 2024, successful Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
"I cognize this is not going to beryllium satisfying. I'm not going to speak to immoderate of nan reports retired there. I'm conscionable not going to do that, not going to speculate. I will say, you've heard this from my NSE colleagues, and you've heard this from galore of america present astatine The White House. The president and nan premier curate person a long-standing narration that goes decades, decades," Jean-Pierre said.
"Because of that long-standing relationship, they are capable to speak very honestly pinch each different and person difficult conversations erstwhile it's necessary. That is nan type of relationship that they have. I'm conscionable not going to speak to immoderate of nan events that's been reported."
The United States has denied immoderate engagement successful nan strike, having pleaded pinch Israel for days to respond pinch restraint against Iranian strikes.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, erstwhile asked astir Israel's strikes connected Iran connected Friday morning, said, "I'm not going to speak to that isolated from to opportunity that nan United States has not been progressive successful immoderate violative operations."
"What we're focused on, what nan G7 is focused on, and again, it's reflected successful our connection and successful our conversation, is our activity to de-escalate tensions, to de-escalate from immoderate imaginable conflict. You saw Israel connected nan receiving extremity of an unprecedented attack," he added. "But our attraction has been on, of course, making judge that Israel tin efficaciously take sides itself, but besides de-escalating tensions, avoiding conflict."
REPUBLICANS SLAM BIDEN’S ‘DON’T’ DETERRENCE: ‘EVERY TIME HE SAYS DON’T, THEY DO’
An Israeli worker attaches an Israeli emblem connected apical of an armored unit bearer (APC) adjacent Israel's separator pinch Gaza, successful confederate Israel, Monday, April 15, 2024.
Iranian authorities media has besides reportedly downplayed Friday’s strikes, those of which a well-placed subject root told Fox News that those strikes were "limited."
"The detonation this greeting successful nan entity of Isfahan was related to nan shooting of aerial defense systems astatine a suspicious entity that did not origin immoderate damage," according to Iranian service commandant Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi successful a study by nan Associated Press.
A elder Iranian charismatic reportedly told Reuters connected Friday that Tehran has nary contiguous plans to onslaught back.
Israel and its authorities person remained comparatively quiet starring up to, and following, nan retaliatory onslaught connected Iran.
"Israel will do immoderate it needs to take sides itself," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said successful a connection earlier nan Israeli strike. "[Foreign leaders] person each sorts of suggestions and advice. I admit that. But I want to beryllium clear: Our decisions we will make ourselves."
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Former Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Jonathan Conricus tweeted that pursuing nan strike, and while Iran appears to downplay nan strike, he "think[s] they've gotten nan message."
Fox News Digital's Timothy H.J. Nerozzi, Bradford Betz, Jennifer Griffin, Greg Norman and Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
