In a context of increasing tensions in the Middle East, US President Joe Bidre clearly expressed his opposition to a possible Israeli strike on the Iranian oil fields during a telephone interview with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this Wednesday.
“If I was in their place, I would think of other alternatives than to strike the Iranian oil fields,” Biden told journalists last Friday, a position he reiterated during this 30 -minute call with Netanyahu. This warning comes as Israel is considering reprisals following the Iranian attack on October 1.
The American position reflects major economic concerns: an attack on Iranian oil installations could cause the oil prices on a global scale. This perspective particularly worries the Biden administration as the presidential election of November 5, where Kamala Harris, present during the appeal, will be a candidate for Biden.
The exchange between the two leaders, their first official contact since August, took place in a tense climate. If Biden reaffirmed his “unwavering support” to the security of Israel and “unequivocally condemned” the Iranian attack, he also laid clear limits.
Beyond his opposition to the bombing of the oil fields, the American president also replied “no” when he was asked if he would support an Israeli strike against Iranian nuclear installations.
This nuanced position is part of a complex regional context. Iran had justified its attack on October 1 as an answer to the elimination of several major figures: the head of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, the leader of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah and an Iranian general in Beirut.
The American support in Israel remains substantial, however, with an annual military aid of $ 3.8 billion, recently increased by an additional 14 billion. However, Washington visibly seeks to avoid a regional escalation which could further destabilize the Middle East and the world economy.
The situation also remains critical of other fronts. In Lebanon, more than 2,000 people died and one million were moved following Israeli military operations. In Gaza, the balance sheet exceeds 42,000 Palestinian victims, pushing the United States to emphasize respect for international humanitarian law.
The spokesman for the State Department, Matthew Miller, stressed that “the Israelis have not yet decided to have their action. It is under discussion. This declaration suggests that the United States is actively trying to influence the Israeli response to avoid a new regional escalation with potentially disastrous consequences.
