The United States has described Israeli strikes on military targets in Iran as “an exercise of self-defense,” following a ballistic missile attack by Tehran earlier this month. White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett stated that these “targeted strikes on military targets” were a direct response to Iran’s aggression against Israel, specifically referencing the missile attack that occurred on October 1.
A US defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, clarified that while the United States was informed of the strikes beforehand, there was no American involvement in the operations. However, details regarding how far in advance the US was notified or the specifics of the information shared by Israel were not disclosed.
In light of the situation, White House officials confirmed that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had been briefed on the strikes and would continue to receive regular updates from their national security teams as the situation evolves.