Israel: No counterstrike on Iran nuke, oil sites

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Israel has assured the White House that a planned retaliatory attack on Iran won’t target nuclear or oil facilities, US media reported Monday.

Israel has vowed to counterattack after Iran fired ballistic missiles at the country on 1 October, launched in response to Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other Tehran-aligned militant leaders in the region, along with General Abbas Nilforoushan from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Citing unnamed US officials, the Washington Post said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reassured the White House that a counterstrike it is contemplating would target only military sites.

The Wall Street Journal, also citing US officials speaking on condition of anonymity, said the pledge came in a call between US President Joe Biden and Netanyahu last week, as well as in conversations in recent days between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant.

The plan “was met with relief in Washington,” the Washington Post reported.

Biden has warned Israel against striking Iran’s nuclear or oil facilities in order to avoid a further expansion of regional war and amid worries of a spike in global energy prices.

“We listen to the opinions of the United States, but we will make our final decisions based on our national interest,” Netanyahu’s office said.

Iran launched about 200 missiles at Israel on 1 October, its second direct attack on Israel after missile and drone fire in April, carried out in response to an air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that is attributed to Israel.