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The president of the United States, Joe Biden, reaffirmed this Monday his commitment to negotiations to achieve a ceasefire temporary in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israeli hostages, while stressing that Washington “is committed to Israel’s security” after Iran’s attack.
“We are committed to the security of Israel,” he said in statements to the media before beginning a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House with the Iraqi prime minister. Mohamed Shea al Sudani.
“We are committed to a ceasefire that brings the hostages back and prevents these conflicts from spreading any further than they already have,” he added.
Biden reaffirmed that wants to prevent the conflict in the Middle East, where Israel is fighting a war in Gaza and defending itself from the Iranian attacks, spread more widely.
“Iran launched an unprecedented airstrike against Israel, and we launched an unprecedented military effort to defend it. Together with our partners, we defended that attack,” Biden said when meeting the visiting Iraqi prime minister.
“The United States is committed to Israel’s security. “We are committed to a ceasefire that will bring the hostages home and prevent the conflict from expanding beyond what it already has,” Biden added.
Israel is weighing your answer to Iran’s massive drone and missile attack on Saturday, which Tehran said was in retaliation for an alleged Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate building in Syria that killed a top general.
Biden has promised a “strong” support for Israelbut also urged him to “think carefully and strategically” before launching a response against Iran that could trigger a broader war.
The US president said he was “also committed to the security of our personnel and partners in the region, including Iraq.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani was visiting the White House to discuss the presence of US troops in Iraq as part of an anti-jihadist coalition.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said Washington did not want any escalation but would continue to defend its key ally Israel.
“We are not seeking escalation, but we will continue to support Israel’s defense and protect our personnel in the region,” Blinken said at the start of a meeting with the Iraqi deputy prime minister, Mohammed Ali Tamim.
“What this weekend demonstrated is that Israel did not and does not have to defend itself when it is the victim of aggression, the victim of an attack,” he added, also calling Iran’s actions “unprecedented.”
Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles in the attack. Most of those projectiles were intercepted before they reached Israel, with the help of the United States, Jordan and other allies.
Blinken said he was involved in a series of talks over the past 36 hours, seeking to coordinate a diplomatic response that would prevent any escalation of the crisis in the region.
The US Secretary of State has spoken in particular with his counterparts in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Türkiye, Great Britain and Germanyaccording to the State Department.
The Iraqi deputy prime minister said his government was concerned that the region could be “drawn into a broader war that would threaten international security,” and called on all sides to exercise “self-restraint.”
(With information from AFP and EFE)
