Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump, unlike US President Joe Biden, has spoken out in favor of an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Biden’s answer to a question about Israel’s possible response to the Iranian missile attack on its territory “should have been: hit the nuclear first, and deal with the rest later,” Trump said on Friday at a campaign appearance in the state of North Carolina. Meanwhile, Biden also advised Israel against targeting Iranian oil facilities.
Iran directly attacked Israel on Tuesday evening for the second time in six months. According to the Israeli army, a large proportion of the approximately 200 Iranian missiles were intercepted. Tehran said it was reacting to the Israeli military offensive in southern Lebanon against the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia and the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then announced retaliation; Tehran has “made a big mistake” and will “pay for it.” Since then, international efforts have been made to prevent further escalation.
Asked on Wednesday whether he would support an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Biden said: “The answer is no. We will discuss with the Israelis what they will do.” All G7 countries are of the opinion that Israel has the right to respond to the Iranian missile attack. “But the response should be proportionate,” Biden said.
Former President Trump has so far remained remarkably silent about the recent escalation in the Middle East. Just earlier this week, he released a sharp statement in which he blamed Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris for the escalation in the Middle East.
Now Trump responded to a question from a participant at his campaign rally in Fayetteville about Biden and Israel’s possible reaction: “You asked him, ‘What do you think about Iran, would you attack Iran?’ And he says, ‘As long as they don’t attack the nuclear stuff.'”
That was wrong of Biden, said Trump. “Isn’t that what you should hit? I mean, it’s the biggest risk we have, nuclear weapons.” Regarding Israel, Trump added: “If they want to do it, they will do it. But we will find out whatever their plans are.”
Meanwhile, US President Biden also rejected possible Israeli attacks on Iranian oil facilities. In a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room on Friday, Biden said Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu should remember U.S. support for Israel when deciding next steps.
“If I were you, I would think about other alternatives than attacking oil fields,” Biden told reporters when asked about his comments the previous day that Washington was discussing the possibility of such attacks with its close ally. Biden added that the Israelis “have not yet decided what they will do in retaliation for a massive missile attack by Iran on Israel on Tuesday.”
After Biden’s comments on Thursday that there was talk of an attack on Iranian oil facilities, the price of oil jumped. However, a long-term high oil price could harm Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris – in addition to issues such as migration, foreign policy and abortion rights, the economy and the high cost of living are a key election campaign issue. Even though Harris has put her Republican rival heavily on the defensive, polls continue to point to an extremely close race in the November 5 presidential election.