A senior US official spoke out as Israel launched retaliatory strikes in Tehran on Friday.
“We understand that Israel is carrying out targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as a self-defense exercise and in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1,” said Sean Savett, spokesman for the National Security Council. White House. he told CNN.
“We refer you to the Israeli government for more information about their operation,” he said.
Israel notified the White House before the attacks, a source familiar with the discussions told the network.
White House officials also said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the attacks and is monitoring the situation from his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said he is aware that Israel is bombing Tehran.
The Israel Defense Forces announced Friday night that they are carrying out “precise strikes” against military targets in Iran in response to what they called “the Iranian regime’s continued attacks against Israel.”
“The Iranian regime and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7 – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” the Israeli military said.
He noted that Israel “has the right and the duty to respond.”
The Middle East has been on edge waiting for Israeli retaliation for the October 1 attack, in which around 200 ballistic missiles were fired at Israel.
It marked Iran’s second direct attack on Israel in six months.
This is breaking news and will be updated.