Exclusive: President Biden informed Prime Minister Netanyahu that the United States will not back an Israeli retaliatory strike against Iran.

During a call on Saturday, a senior White House official informed Axios that President Biden conveyed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States will not endorse any Israeli retaliatory action against Iran.

The significance lies in the deep concern of President Biden and his top advisers regarding the potential escalation to a regional conflict with catastrophic outcomes if Israel were to respond to Iran's attack on their territory, as stated by U.S. officials.

• On Saturday night local time, Iran retaliated by launching attack drones and missiles at Israel in response to an airstrike in Syria that resulted in the death of a senior Iranian general.
• "Over 200 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles were launched from Iran," stated IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. He noted that the majority of these threats were intercepted before entering Israeli airspace.
• Earlier, a U.S. defense official mentioned that American forces in the region successfully intercepted Iranian-launched drones aimed at Israel.

Privately, Biden informed Netanyahu that the collaborative defensive actions involving Israel, the U.S., and regional partners were instrumental in thwarting the Iranian attack, as per the White House official.

• According to the official, Biden encouraged Netanyahu by saying, "You have achieved a victory. Embrace it."
• The official mentioned that when Biden assured Netanyahu that the U.S. would not engage in offensive actions against Iran or support such actions, Netanyahu acknowledged his understanding.
• A senior Israeli official stated that U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on Saturday, requesting that Israel inform the U.S. in advance of any planned response against Iran.

In a statement following the call, Biden noted that the U.S. military deployed aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the past week. This deployment significantly aided Israel in intercepting nearly all incoming drones and missiles from Iran, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.

• Biden stated, "I informed Prime Minister Netanyahu that Israel has shown an exceptional ability to defend itself and overcome even unprecedented attacks. This sends a strong message to its adversaries that they cannot successfully jeopardize Israel's security."

Keep an eye out for Biden's upcoming call with G7 leaders on Sunday, where they will coordinate a unified diplomatic response to Iran's attack.

• Biden mentioned, "Our team will collaborate with counterparts throughout the region, maintaining close communication with Israel's leaders. While we haven't faced attacks on our forces or facilities today, we'll stay vigilant against all threats and act decisively to safeguard our people when necessary."

Editor's Note: This story has been revised to make it clear that Biden informed Netanyahu he wouldn't endorse an Israeli counterattack against Iran. Additionally, it has been corrected to accurately state that Lloyd Austin is the U.S. Secretary of Defense, not the Secretary of State.