Biden: "Iran's Attack on Israel Had No Effect... Response Under Discussion"

U.S. President Joe Biden stated on the 1st (local time) regarding Iran's large-scale ballistic missile launch toward Israel, "The attack was defeated and appears to have had no effect."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

President Biden made these remarks during a White House event related to typhoon damage response, according to White House pool reporters. He said, "This is evidence demonstrating the capabilities of the Israeli military and U.S. forces." President Biden emphasized, "Let me be clear, the United States fully supports Israel."

Furthermore, when asked about the response to Iran's attack on Israel, he said, "Discussions are actively ongoing, and we need to observe." He also mentioned that he would be speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, though he did not specify the timing of the conversation. President Biden added, "My message will depend on what we ultimately conclude is necessary."

Iran's airstrike on mainland Israel occurred for the first time in over five months since April. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard confirmed the missile launch targeting Israel on this day and characterized the attack as retaliation for the deaths of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and Abbas Nilforoushan, Deputy Commander of the Revolutionary Guard's Operations Department. Since late July, following Haniyeh's assassination shortly after his visit to Iran, Iran has been warning of strong retaliation against Israel.

The Israeli military also confirmed that Iran fired approximately 180 missiles on this day. However, the Israeli military indicated that its air combat capabilities were not damaged, suggesting that Iran's airstrike, like the one in April, did not inflict significant damage on Israel. The air raid alert was lifted about an hour after being issued, and no damage to Israeli aircraft or strategic military assets was confirmed.

Earlier, as Iran's attack on Israel began, President Biden immediately ordered U.S. forces to support Israel's defense and intercept missiles aimed at Israel. Subsequently, he monitored Iran's attack and received related reports from the White House Situation Room alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate. In this context, former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, claimed on the social media platform Truth Social, "If I were president, this (incident) would not have happened," and asserted, "This war could have been completely prevented."