World

US 'Begged' Israel Not to Strike Iran But Request Was Embarrassingly Ignored - Reports

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States allegedly begged Israel not to carry out a counterattack against Iran in the early hours of Friday, but the Israeli decision to ignore Washington is part of an "embarrassing" trend, Politico reported, citing a US official.
Sputnik
"The US begged [Israel] not to do it, and literally no one from the Pentagon to the Joint Chiefs to the CIA to the intel community thinks this is a good thing," the official was quoted by Politico as saying on Friday. "At this point, it’s truly embarrassing how much Israel does not listen to us, but yet this doesn’t keep President Biden from blind fealty."
The United States' silence on this Israeli strike on Iran is part of an effort to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East between Israel and Iran, according to the report.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the matter during an earlier briefing, and the Pentagon and US Central Command also declined to comment to Sputnik on this matter.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's only comment on this matter was to rule out any US involvement in the Israeli attack.
Earlier on Friday, Israel carried out an airstrike against Iran in response to Tehran's missile and drone attack over the weekend, media reported. Explosions were reported near the city of Isfahan. Air defense systems responded to the approach of drones in a number of the country's provinces. Three Iranian officials told The New York Times that the target of the strikes was an airbase near Isfahan.
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