US President Joe Biden has said he is waiting for more information before commenting on Israel's airstrikes in Beirut, reiterating that the US was not involved in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operation."We're still gathering information, I can tell you that the US had no knowledge of or participation in the IDF action. We're gathering more information. I'll have more to say when we have more information," Biden told reporters travelling with him in Delaware.
CNN reported earlier on Friday that, according to a US official, Israel informed the US of the operation once it was already underway and Israel had planes in the air. "We had no foreknowledge of this and that does not qualify as a heads up," the official said.
An Israeli official told CNN the notification was sent "shortly before" the strike, and the US did not play a role in the operation. Pressed if he believed the strikes — which CNN has reported were targeting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah — were justified, Biden declined to comment on it.
"We have to get more detail, he said. "I don't know enough to answer that question." He said he's "always concerned," about the conflict escalating tensions in the region. Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said on Friday that the US is still trying to learn more about the Israeli strikes in Beirut.
"We are still gathering information, making sure that we fully understand what happened, what the intent was — and until we have that information, I can't address in detail our response to it, so we'll continue to work on that in the hours ahead," Blinken said at a news conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
