US President Joe Biden is trying to change Israel's course in Gaza. But the Iranian attack poses new challenges.
Biden is calling on Israel to change course on one front of the conflict with its neighbors while pledging his unwavering support on another front. U.S. officials are publicly and privately urging Israel to show restraint in response to the barrage of more than 300 drones and missiles that Iran sent into Israeli territory on Saturday night. According to official figures, 99 percent of the bullets were intercepted and damage to Israel was minimal. Israeli officials said the unprecedented airstrike could not go unanswered. They considered on Monday how best to respond without angering their allies, whose support for Israel in the face of the Iran attack contrasts sharply with their criticism of the scorched-earth military campaign in Gaza, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post. The White House tried to portray the fact that Tehran suffered no significant damage or casualties as a resounding Israeli victory, apparently in part to signal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he did not need to react.