Former national security advisor John Bolton criticized President Biden for exerting huge pressure on Israel to refrain from escalating tensions with Iran. Bolton’s remarks came after Israel launched retaliatory strikes against Iran in response to an earlier attack in Syria.
The Israeli military targeted areas near a major air base and nuclear facility in Iran early Friday, a direct response to drone and missile strikes the previous weekend.
Joe Biden (Credits: Bloonberg)
Bolton, speaking on the “Cats & Cosby” radio show hosted by John Catsimatidis and Rita Cosby, expressed his belief that Israel faced immense pressure from the Biden administration to limit its actions.
He suggested that even within Israel’s leadership, there was a desire for a more robust response, particularly from opposition leader Benny Gantz.
Despite previous warnings from Israeli officials about a strong response, the retaliatory strike was relatively restrained. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had emphasized Israel’s commitment to defending itself.
US President, Joe Biden (Credits: Britannica)
Analysts interpreted Israel’s measured response as an attempt to prevent further escalation of hostilities in the region. Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, explained that while the goal was to restore deterrence, Israel also sought to avoid provoking further retaliation from Iran.
Iran’s Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in an interview with NBC News, questioned Israel’s involvement in the incident, emphasizing the lack of evidence linking them to the attack. He stated that while Iran would not retaliate for the recent strike, they remained prepared to respond if similar actions were repeated.
