US President Joe Biden says Israel will not decide immediately on countermeasures against the recent massive missile attack by Iran.
Biden spoke at a news conference at the White House on Friday.
The president said: “Israelis have not concluded how they’re — what they’re going to do in terms of a strike. That’s under discussion.”
He added that a decision would not be made immediately.
Asked about the possibility that Israel might strike Iranian oil facilities, Biden said, “If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives.”
On the previous day, Biden was asked by reporters whether he supported Israel striking Iranian oil facilities and responded that they were “in discussion” about it.
Biden’s comment prompted oil futures to rise, as there was a widespread view that the chance of Iranian oil facilities becoming a target of an Israeli attack could not be ruled out.
The situation in the Middle East could affect the outcome of the US presidential election. With only one month to go before the vote, the Biden administration is apparently hoping to keep gas prices from increasing to avoid voter criticism.