White House insists Iran did NOT capitulate to Israel’s attack, claims Jewish state ‘not looking for significant escalation’ with Tehran

Israel is not seeking ‘significant escalation’ with Iran despite counter-attack concerns, White House said.

After Tehran officials claimed they gave Washington, DC a warning that they would carry out strikes on Israel, a senior administration official said this was not the case.

“I wouldn’t characterize it as if Iran gave us time to prepare,” the official said on a call with reporters on Sunday. ‘Their intent was clearly to be very, very destructive. And that’s in their public rhetoric, and I think that’s borne out by what they tried to do last night.

They said Iran needed time to prepare for the attack and that the US was ‘using the time wisely to prepare’ for defence.

Iran’s foreign minister said so Tehran informed the US of its impending attack and gave a 72-hour warning to neighboring countries in the Middle East.

Iran and its proxies have launched around 300 missiles and drones at Israel since Saturday – but the vast majority were intercepted and shot down before reaching Israeli airspace

“We announced… to the White House in a message that our operations will be limited, minimal and will be aimed at punishing the Israeli regime,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Sunday.

It came after more than 300 missiles, drones and other attacks were intercepted in Israel – but most were intercepted and shot down before reaching the country’s airspace.

Before the attack, Iran warned the United States against getting involved in the conflict, saying it would target American troops. Reported details of a call between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reveal that the US leader said he would not get involved in counterattacks.

Amid concerns of retaliation, the US official said on the press call on Sunday that Jerusalem was also signaling that it was not seeking further conflict with Tehran.

“Israel has made it clear to us that it is not looking for a significant escalation with Iran,” they said. ‘That’s not what they’re looking for.’

“They’re looking to protect themselves and defend themselves.”

Biden spoke to G7 leaders after returning to the White House on Saturday a day early from his weekend in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to address the escalating conflict.

A senior defense official said on Sunday that the discussions involved potentially revisiting sanctions previously imposed on Iran but which hit roadblocks before being implemented.

While Biden and his national security team insist that US support for Israel’s defense is ‘ironclad’, the administration has repeatedly distanced itself from ideas that it would involve itself in acting directly against Iran.

President Joe Biden returned early from his weekend in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to meet with his national security team in the White House Situation Room on Saturday

NSC spokesman John Kirby said on Sunday that the US has warned Iran of ‘what we would do’ if US troops are targeted in the Middle East amid an escalating conflict in the region

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the United States has communicated to Iran “what we would do” if American troops or facilities are targeted.

Amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas terrorists in Gaza, some Republican lawmakers are unhappy with the Biden administration’s response so far to the escalating conflict and want a direct response to last night’s attacks from Iran and its proxies.

‘The president has made it clear: We are not seeking a war with Iran. We are not seeking a broader war in the region, Kirby told NBC host Kristen Welker on Sunday morning.

When pressed by the Meet the Press host about whether Biden has ruled out a direct strike against Iran, Kirby reiterated: ‘We are not seeking a war with Iran.’