The White House confirmed on Friday that it was informed in advance about Israel's air strikes targeting military sites in Iran, according to a US defense official who spoke to AFP.
The Israeli attack, which lasted for hours before sunrise in Tehran, targeted military sites, including manufacturing facilities used to produce missiles, ground-to-air missile sites, and additional Iranian air capabilities.
The Israeli military described the action as "precise strikes on military targets" in Iran, characterizing it as an "exercise of self-defense" in response to ongoing attacks by the Iranian regime against Israel. This indicates that Israel views these strikes as necessary measures to protect its national security interests against perceived threats from Iran.
This notice to the United States came after weeks of discussions about avoiding strikes on Iran that could ignite a wider regional conflict, particularly following US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent visit to the Middle East. In recent weeks, senior US officials have made their views clear that Israel's response, both in terms of nature and targeted locations, should avoid being unnecessarily escalatory, urging caution to prevent exacerbating regional tensions.
Senior US officials have also stated that Israel's response should not affect the global economy, according to a source familiar with the discussions. US President Joe Biden is currently in Wilmington, Delaware. Joe Biden's advisers do not plan to meet in the Situation Room at this time.
