05:17Mandatory credit: The White House
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told a reporter she was 'not going to get into what's proportionate and what's not' when asked about an Israeli response to last week's Iranian missile strikes, during Monday's press briefing in Washington DC.
"The other day, the president said that if the Israelis strike back in Iran, they ought to do so in a proportionate fashion," a journalist stated. "He said that he did not believe they should strike nuclear sites, and then he seemed to suggest he didn’t think they should strike energy sites either. So, what, in the president’s view, would be proportionate?"
"I’m not going to get into -I appreciate the question. I’m not going to get into what’s proportionate, not proportionate — get into that back and forth," she said, while laughing. Media reports of the briefing also highlighted her oversized pinstriped suit, in a notable change from her usual attire.
"What I can say is we are continuing to have discussions with the Israelis about their response, obviously, responding to Iran’s attack - almost 200 missiles - right? - that went flying into Israel — that we were able to, obviously, at the president’s direction, with the military being - the US military aiding in - in the defence of Israel, which the president was really proud to be able to have done that," she continued. "Our commitment continues to be very clear on Israel’s security. That’s ironclad."
Iran launched a wave of missile strikes last Tuesday which it said was in response to Israel's killing of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and others. PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Tehran had made a 'big mistake' and warned of 'consequences'.
Jean-Pierre added that President Joe Biden was working 'around the clock' to secure a ceasefire deal in Gaza, on the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
"[It] would not only bring the hostages held by Hamas home to their families but also end the fighting and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, many of whom have been living in hellish conditions, and enable a much-needed surge of humanitarian aid in Gaza," she said.
According to media reports, talks have stalled as the conflict shifted to Israel's focus on airstrikes and a ground incursion in Lebanon.
"President Biden will never stop working to end the suffering of all people and he continues the work to build the conditions for a lasting peace in the region so that after this conflict is over Israelis and Palestinians can live securely side by side in a lasting peace with equal measures of safety, opportunity, and dignity," Jean-Pierre added.
Monday's anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks saw memorials, protests and rally take place around the world. Around 1,139 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed in the assault on southern Israel, with around 200 taken hostage, according to the Israeli side. It led to Israel's campaign of airstrikes and ground incursion into Gaza, which has resulted in nearly 42,000 deaths according to Palestinian officials.
Tensions also escalated with Hezbollah last month, with Israel launching a campaign of airstrikes in southern Lebanon, as well as a ground incursion at the start of last week. Those airstrikes had killed over 2,000 people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry at time of publication, and saw thousands flee the region.
'I'm not going to get into what's proportionate and what's not!' - WH spox after Biden rejects Israeli strikes on both Iranian nuclear, energy sites
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told a reporter she was 'not going to get into what's proportionate and what's not' when asked about an Israeli response to last week's Iranian missile strikes, during Monday's press briefing in Washington DC.
"The other day, the president said that if the Israelis strike back in Iran, they ought to do so in a proportionate fashion," a journalist stated. "He said that he did not believe they should strike nuclear sites, and then he seemed to suggest he didn’t think they should strike energy sites either. So, what, in the president’s view, would be proportionate?"
"I’m not going to get into -I appreciate the question. I’m not going to get into what’s proportionate, not proportionate — get into that back and forth," she said, while laughing. Media reports of the briefing also highlighted her oversized pinstriped suit, in a notable change from her usual attire.
"What I can say is we are continuing to have discussions with the Israelis about their response, obviously, responding to Iran’s attack - almost 200 missiles - right? - that went flying into Israel — that we were able to, obviously, at the president’s direction, with the military being - the US military aiding in - in the defence of Israel, which the president was really proud to be able to have done that," she continued. "Our commitment continues to be very clear on Israel’s security. That’s ironclad."
Iran launched a wave of missile strikes last Tuesday which it said was in response to Israel's killing of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and others. PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Tehran had made a 'big mistake' and warned of 'consequences'.
Jean-Pierre added that President Joe Biden was working 'around the clock' to secure a ceasefire deal in Gaza, on the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
"[It] would not only bring the hostages held by Hamas home to their families but also end the fighting and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, many of whom have been living in hellish conditions, and enable a much-needed surge of humanitarian aid in Gaza," she said.
According to media reports, talks have stalled as the conflict shifted to Israel's focus on airstrikes and a ground incursion in Lebanon.
"President Biden will never stop working to end the suffering of all people and he continues the work to build the conditions for a lasting peace in the region so that after this conflict is over Israelis and Palestinians can live securely side by side in a lasting peace with equal measures of safety, opportunity, and dignity," Jean-Pierre added.
Monday's anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks saw memorials, protests and rally take place around the world. Around 1,139 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed in the assault on southern Israel, with around 200 taken hostage, according to the Israeli side. It led to Israel's campaign of airstrikes and ground incursion into Gaza, which has resulted in nearly 42,000 deaths according to Palestinian officials.
Tensions also escalated with Hezbollah last month, with Israel launching a campaign of airstrikes in southern Lebanon, as well as a ground incursion at the start of last week. Those airstrikes had killed over 2,000 people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry at time of publication, and saw thousands flee the region.
Mandatory credit: The White House
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told a reporter she was 'not going to get into what's proportionate and what's not' when asked about an Israeli response to last week's Iranian missile strikes, during Monday's press briefing in Washington DC.
"The other day, the president said that if the Israelis strike back in Iran, they ought to do so in a proportionate fashion," a journalist stated. "He said that he did not believe they should strike nuclear sites, and then he seemed to suggest he didn’t think they should strike energy sites either. So, what, in the president’s view, would be proportionate?"
"I’m not going to get into -I appreciate the question. I’m not going to get into what’s proportionate, not proportionate — get into that back and forth," she said, while laughing. Media reports of the briefing also highlighted her oversized pinstriped suit, in a notable change from her usual attire.
"What I can say is we are continuing to have discussions with the Israelis about their response, obviously, responding to Iran’s attack - almost 200 missiles - right? - that went flying into Israel — that we were able to, obviously, at the president’s direction, with the military being - the US military aiding in - in the defence of Israel, which the president was really proud to be able to have done that," she continued. "Our commitment continues to be very clear on Israel’s security. That’s ironclad."
Iran launched a wave of missile strikes last Tuesday which it said was in response to Israel's killing of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and others. PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Tehran had made a 'big mistake' and warned of 'consequences'.
Jean-Pierre added that President Joe Biden was working 'around the clock' to secure a ceasefire deal in Gaza, on the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
"[It] would not only bring the hostages held by Hamas home to their families but also end the fighting and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, many of whom have been living in hellish conditions, and enable a much-needed surge of humanitarian aid in Gaza," she said.
According to media reports, talks have stalled as the conflict shifted to Israel's focus on airstrikes and a ground incursion in Lebanon.
"President Biden will never stop working to end the suffering of all people and he continues the work to build the conditions for a lasting peace in the region so that after this conflict is over Israelis and Palestinians can live securely side by side in a lasting peace with equal measures of safety, opportunity, and dignity," Jean-Pierre added.
Monday's anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks saw memorials, protests and rally take place around the world. Around 1,139 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed in the assault on southern Israel, with around 200 taken hostage, according to the Israeli side. It led to Israel's campaign of airstrikes and ground incursion into Gaza, which has resulted in nearly 42,000 deaths according to Palestinian officials.
Tensions also escalated with Hezbollah last month, with Israel launching a campaign of airstrikes in southern Lebanon, as well as a ground incursion at the start of last week. Those airstrikes had killed over 2,000 people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry at time of publication, and saw thousands flee the region.