Biden says he opposes Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear facilities

US President Joe Biden has said he does not support an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as the region prepares to respond to an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel.

Asked by reporters whether the United States would support a retaliatory attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Biden said: “The answer is no.”

He added that the G7 was drafting a statement on Tuesday’s missile attack and warned that Iran would face sanctions for its actions.

Israel stepped up attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah on Wednesday amid growing fears of an all-out war.

The Israel Defense Forces shelled Iranian-backed militant positions south of Beirut, while elite special forces faced stiff resistance from Hezbollah fighters as they breached the Lebanese border.

The Israeli military said eight Israeli soldiers were killed and several others wounded in a second day of “targeted” IDF raids on Lebanese territory.

Hezbollah said it engaged Israeli forces in at least three locations along the border, resulting in several casualties.

The escalation in fighting began after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation against Tehran after dozens of missiles were fired at Israel.

“Iran made a big mistake and will definitely pay the price,” he said on Tuesday. “Whoever attacks us, we attack them.”

The surprise missile attack by Iran, which it said was in retaliation for Israeli assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, moves the region closer to full-scale conflict as Israel escalates attacks on Tehran’s proxies.

In the past two weeks, Israel has assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, launched a wave of attacks against the militant group in Lebanon, bombed a port controlled by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and claimed responsibility for an explosion in Syria. is also being asked.

On Wednesday, Israeli forces attacked targets south of Beirut while continuing a ground offensive launched on Tuesday against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

According to Syrian state media, Israel also struck Damascus on Wednesday afternoon, killing three civilians.

Hezbollah said Wednesday that its fighters had repelled a group of Israeli troops “trying to invade” the southern community of Odeise, near the border.

Hours later, Hezbollah said it clashed with Israeli forces about 20 kilometers southwest of Odeise and detonated an explosive near the village of Yaroun, killing and wounding a group of Israeli troops.

Following Tuesday’s missile attack, the White House pledged to work with Israel to deliver “significant consequences” to Iran.

Only a small number of Iranian missiles escaped Israel’s sophisticated air defenses, including one that appeared to have struck near the headquarters of Israel’s foreign intelligence agency Mossad.

In the Palestinian city of Jericho, one man was reported dead after being hit by fragments from an intercepted missile.

Officials briefed on the situation said Iran was targeting military and intelligence infrastructure near Tel Aviv as well as other facilities in the country.

Iran said the attack was in retaliation for Friday’s targeted killings by Israel across the region, including Nasrallah, and threatened to retaliate if Israel retaliated.

“Our action will end unless the Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will become increasingly forceful,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told X on Wednesday. I mentioned it in my post.

Araghchi said he had spoken to his British, German and French counterparts and warned that Iran was not seeking war but was “not afraid.” He also called on “any third party” to refrain from intervening, an apparent reference to the United States.

On Wednesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei appeared to blame the United States and European countries for the escalation in the region.

He made no mention of Iran’s missile attack on Israel, saying, “The cause of all regional problems is the very existence of political parties that falsely claim peace and stability in the region.”

Hezbollah spokesman Mohammed Afif said on Wednesday that the conflict with Israel would be fought “in rounds.” “If they beat us in this round, it’s only the first time,” he said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday condemned Iran’s missile attack on Israel, saying it risks “setting fire to the entire region.” “We have to stop it at all costs,” he said. “Hezbollah and Iran must immediately stop their attacks on Israel.”

On Wednesday, Israel banned United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres from entering the country, citing the Foreign Ministry’s failure to “unequivocally condemn” the Iranian missile attack.

Israeli warplanes carried out heavy bombing raids over Beirut and southern Lebanon on Tuesday night. Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon in the past two weeks and forced up to a million people from their homes, Lebanese authorities say.

The airstrikes came after Israel issued new evacuation orders for about 20 villages and towns in southern Lebanon, after several days of intensive airstrikes destroyed residential buildings in densely populated areas. Most of the houses are vacant.

The depth of Israel’s ground incursion into Lebanon remains unclear, more than a day after the Israel Defense Forces announced it was carrying out targeted raids across Lebanon’s northern border.

The Israel Defense Forces announced it was sending additional forces, including units from the Golani infantry brigade and a separate armored brigade, to take part in “limited, localized, targeted raids” on Lebanese territory.

Israeli forces have been carrying out covert raids in the area for almost a year, since Hezbollah began shelling northern Israel the day after the October 7 Hamas attack.

Israel announced on Tuesday that it had killed two more Hezbollah commanders.

Israeli military attacks across Lebanon on Tuesday left 55 people dead and 156 injured.

In oil markets, international benchmark Brent crude rose 2.2% to $75.14 per barrel on Wednesday, while U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate rose 2.4% to $71.52 per barrel.

Prices rose as much as 5% after Tuesday night’s attack on Iran.

Additional reporting by William Sandlund in Hong Kong, Bita Ghafari in Tehran, Heba Saleh in Beirut and Felicia Schwartz in New York

This article has been corrected to reflect the fact that more than 1,000 people have been killed in Lebanon in the past two weeks.