President Joe Biden on Thursday declined to publicly address whether he had urged Israel to refrain from attacking Iran’s oil facilities, following Tehran’s recent ballistic missile attack. The president stated he would not “negotiate in public” when asked by reporters if Washington had advised Israel against such a move.
Joe Biden’s earlier comments that the U.S. was discussing potential strikes on Iran’s oil facilities contributed to a surge in global oil prices. Although a U.S. official later clarified that Washington does not believe Israel has decided on a course of action in response to Iran, Joe Biden’s remarks raised concerns about the impact on the already volatile oil market. When asked whether he feared an Israeli strike would further drive oil prices up, Joe Biden responded, “If a hurricane hits, prices are going to go up. I don’t know; who knows.”
The situation escalated after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Tuesday, prompting Israel to consider various response options. The U.S. had earlier assured Israel that Tehran would face severe consequences for its actions, but Joe Biden reiterated that Washington does not support any Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Despite these tensions, Joe Biden has not spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent days, citing that “there’s no action going on right now.”
The broader regional context adds layers of complexity to the situation. Israel is currently engaged in two significant conflicts. In Lebanon, Israeli attacks targeting Hezbollah have resulted in nearly 2,000 deaths and displaced over 1.2 million people. Israel launched a ground incursion this week, aiming to defeat Hezbollah and allow the return of approximately 60,000 Israelis who had been evacuated from the northern region. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli military actions have led to the deaths of nearly 42,000 people, with almost the entire population of 2.3 million displaced. The conflict followed a deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants, further intensifying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As tensions rise and the geopolitical landscape shifts, the U.S. faces growing pressure to carefully navigate its role, balancing support for Israel while managing the broader implications of conflict in the region, particularly in the energy market.
