Netanyahu told Biden he won’t attack Iranian oil, nuclear sites — report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the United States that Israel is willing to strike Iranian military targets and not nuclear or oil facilities, the Washington Post reports, citing two officials familiar with the matter.

Netanyahu made the comment to Biden when the two spoke by phone last week to discuss Israel’s plans to retaliate against Iran for its October 1 ballistic missile attack, which the US has sought to temper.

One official is quoted telling the paper that the Israeli premier had agreed to plot the attack in a way that won’t impact the upcoming US election; an attack on energy facilities could send oil prices soaring, hurting Vice President Kamala Harris’s chances with voters unhappy about higher prices at the gasoline pump.

According to the official, an Israeli retaliatory action will come before the November 5 election to avoid the perception of weakness.