Biden says he has good idea of how and when Israel will respond to Iranian attack
US president asserts there’s an ‘opportunity’ to end conflict between Israel and Iran ‘for a while,’ says possible to reach ceasefire in Lebanon but doing so in Gaza will be harder
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US President Joe Biden said Friday that he has a good understanding of how and when Israel plans to respond to Iran’s recent ballistic missile attack.
Pressed by reporters during a visit to Germany, Biden declined to share any details regarding Israel’s planned response to the October 1 attack missile attack, though his remarks appeared to mark the first time the US indicated it has reached an understanding with Israel on the nature of the retaliation.
Asked by reporters about the prospects of “Middle East peace,” Biden said he sees an “opportunity…that we can probably deal with Israel and Iran in a way that ends the conflict for a while… stops the back and forth.”
“We think that there’s a possibility of working for a ceasefire in Lebanon. It’s going to be harder in Gaza, but we agree that there has to be an outcome, what happens in the day after,” the president added, without elaborating why he thought this way.
For nearly two weeks, Israeli officials said they were still deliberating how to respond to the roughly 200 ballistic missiles fired by Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to consult first with Biden, which didn’t happen until October 10.
In the days leading up to the call, Biden told probing reporters that he opposed Israel targeting Iranian nuclear or oil sites.
????️????️ Reporter: Do you know when and how Israel will respond against Iran?
Biden: Yes and Yes.
Reporter: Can you tell us?
Biden: No and No. pic.twitter.com/SsHlJjgTW3
— News Of The Globe (@NewsOfEarthTr) October 18, 2024
Since the call, the US has dispatched a THAAD air defense battery to Israel to protect the country in case of an Iranian reaction to Israel’s reprisal. US soldiers were deployed to operate the system, underscoring US support for Israel’s defense while also undercutting the Jewish state’s long stated position that it will defend itself by itself.
Channel 12 news reported Friday that Israel has requested a second THAAD battery. Each is capable of hitting targets at ranges of 150-200 kilometers (93-124 miles). A battery consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors, radio and radar equipment, and requires 95 soldiers to operate. The only other country besides the US that currently operates a THAAD is the United Arab Emirates, while Saudi Arabia purchased the system but has yet to receive it.
The Islamic Republic has been bracing for an Israeli reprisal after its latest direct attack on Israel, which it said came in response to strikes in Lebanon that killed the top leadership of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group and a July blast in Tehran that killed Hamas politburo head Ismail Haniyeh.
An Israeli official told The Times of Israel on Friday that Israel’s plans for a retaliatory strike have not changed since its killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.
Some analysts have speculated Israel could dial back its response to Iran in exchange for better terms in ceasefire deals with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, the latter of which is also an Iranian proxy.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the killing of Sinwar and said his death would not interfere with Islamic “resistance.”
The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Pezeshkian as saying Friday that “martyrdom will not create a disturbance in the Islamic Ummah’s resistance against force and occupation.”
On Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned UN chief Antonio Guterres that Tehran is ready for a “decisive and regretful” response if Israel attacks his country.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said this week that Israel “will soon respond” to the missile attack, vowing it will be “precise and deadly.”
According to reports this week, Israel has decided on the targets it could potentially strike in Iran.
Channel 12 said the military presented a list of targets to Netanyahu and Gallant as it finalizes preparations, which include “sensitive coordination” with other countries in the region.
A report by the Kan public broadcaster said “the political echelon” had decided on the targets, while ABC News quoted an Israeli source as saying Netanyahu had approved a set of targets.
“The targets are clear. Now it’s a matter of time,” an Israeli source told Kan.
The broadcaster also said that Israel had described its general attack plans to the US but had yet to give an update on specific targets, while quoting a source familiar with the matter acknowledging “the targets could also change at the 11th hour.”
Washington has sought to temper Jerusalem’s plans to retaliate for the October 1 attack — which forced most of the country to rush to bomb shelters and safe rooms and killed a Palestinian man in the West Bank — fearing that the escalating tit-for-tats could spark a wider war drawing in others in the region. The attack caused damage in Israel, including in Israeli airbases, though the military has said that no aircraft or critical infrastructure were hit, and the Israeli Air Force was operating at full capacity.
