Biden backs Israel after Nasrallah’s killing

U.S. President Joe Biden described Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday as “a measure of justice” for his numerous victims. The president affirmed Washington’s unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself against groups backed by Iran.

In a White House statement, Biden revealed he had instructed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to bolster the U.S. military’s defence stance in the Middle East to prevent further aggression and mitigate the risk of a wider conflict.

Biden emphasised the U.S. goal of de-escalating ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic channels.

Israel, on Thursday, dismissed international calls for a ceasefire with the Iran-supported Hezbollah, continuing strikes that resulted in hundreds of deaths in Lebanon and increasing fears of a regional war.

Biden expressed strong support for Israel’s strike on Nasrallah, which happened while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Biden and other leaders were attempting to negotiate a ceasefire.

“Hassan Nasrallah and Hezbollah were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans over four decades. His death from an Israeli airstrike delivers justice for his countless victims, including many Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians,” said Biden.

Statement from @POTUS Joe Biden on the Death of Hassan Nasrallah

“𝗛𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗱, 𝗛𝗲𝘇𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵, 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿… pic.twitter.com/ICVkbJScWg

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 28, 2024

He mentioned that Nasrallah had also backed Hamas following its attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of around 250 hostages, based on Israeli figures.

Since then, the Israeli military has devastated large parts of Gaza, displacing nearly all of its 2.3 million residents, leading to severe hunger and disease, and killing more than 41,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities.

For months, Biden administration officials have unsuccessfully attempted to end the Gaza conflict and more recently sought to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which intensified after Hezbollah’s use of hand-held radios and pagers triggered explosions, killing dozens and injuring nearly 3,000.

“The United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-backed terrorist groups,” stated Biden. He noted the U.S. was pursuing diplomatic avenues to resolve the conflicts but refrained from criticising Israel’s operations.

“It’s time to finalise these agreements, eliminate threats to Israel, and achieve greater stability in the broader Middle East,” he said in a statement issued during his vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

The ongoing escalation has heightened concerns that the conflict may spiral out of control, potentially involving Iran, Hezbollah’s main supporter, as well as the U.S.

On Friday, Biden told reporters that the U.S. had no prior knowledge of or involvement in the Israeli military action that killed Nasrallah before Hezbollah confirmed his death. Over 600 people have been killed in Lebanon since Monday.

Biden did not comment on the civilian casualties or Iranian officials’ statements vowing to avenge Nasrallah’s death. Vice President Kamala Harris, who was in California for campaign fundraisers, echoed Biden’s support for Nasrallah’s killing and reiterated her “unwavering” commitment to Israel’s security.

“President Biden and I aim to prevent the Middle East conflict from escalating into a broader regional war,” said Harris. “Diplomacy is the best path to protect civilians and achieve lasting stability in the region.”