President Joe Biden allegedly threatened to sever US assistance for Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an order for a major reprisal against Iran for a missile attack that occurred in April, according to a Times of Israel article.
In a phone conversation with Netanyahu after the attack on April 18, in which hundreds of Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles were successfully halted, Biden reportedly issued a severe warning, according to a report in the New York Times.
"Let me be quite clear... In what the Times called a "lecture," Biden is cited as saying to Netanyahu, "If you launch a big attack on Iran, you're on your own.
" According to the story, which quotes Biden's advisers who were in the situation room at the time, Netanyahu strongly persuaded the American president that retaliation against Iran was necessary in order to avoid coming out as weak. But Biden remained steadfast, angrily reminding Netanyahu, "You do this, and I'm out.
" Accept the victory." This exchange is a part of a larger New York Times inquiry of Biden's mental sharpness; the 81-year-old president's moments of decisiveness under duress are illustrated by the exchange with Netanyahu.
On the other hand, the study presents Biden in other contexts as becoming disoriented, feeble, and prone to mental errors. In an attempt to restrain Tehran's nuclear aspirations and aggressive behavior in the region, the Biden administration has prioritized diplomatic initiatives and economic penalties above a direct military conflict with Iran.
By threatening Netanyahu, the president appears to have been prepared to jeopardize his relationship with Israel, a strong friend of the United States, in order to avert a potentially escalating reaction against Iran that may have included the US in a wider Middle East confrontation.
The disclosure of Biden's firm position towards Netanyahu coincides with ongoing negotiations between the United States and its allies and Iran to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement, to which Israel has vehemently objected.