American President Joe Biden described on Saturday the Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a “measure of justice” for his long history of violence, according to the AP. The comments came after the Hezbollah group confirmed Nasrallah’s death on Saturday, following the strike in Beirut the day before.
Biden noted that the operation occurred in the context of escalating violence following Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. He highlighted that Nasrallah had allied with Hamas, declaring a “northern front” against Israel.
“Nasrallah, the next day, made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a ‘northern front’ against Israel,” Biden said in a statement.
The White House views Nasrallah’s death as a “significant blow to Hezbollah” but is cautious about escalating tensions in the region, particularly amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Biden reiterated on Saturday his desire for ceasefires in both Gaza and between Israel and Hezbollah, emphasizing the need for stability in the Middle East.
“It is time for these deals to close, for the threats to Israel to be removed, and for the broader Middle East region to gain greater stability,” Biden said.
In response to the airstrike, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the U.S. of complicity in the attack, claiming it was ordered from New York.
“The world community will not forget that the order of the terrorist strike was issued from New York, and the Americans cannot absolve themselves from complicity with the Zionists,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying in a statement read on Iranian state television.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department ordered on Saturday the departure of families of American diplomats in Beirut and urged citizens to consider leaving Lebanon due to the deteriorating security situation.
“Due to the increased volatility following airstrikes within Beirut and the volatile and unpredictable security situation throughout Lebanon, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial options still remain available,” the department said in a statement Saturday.
Biden also directed the Pentagon to assess U.S. troop levels in the region amid rising tensions following earlier announcements of additional troop deployments.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a defiant speech to the United Nations on Friday, vowing to continue military operations against Hezbollah until tens of thousands of Israeli citizens displaced by rocket attacks can return home. Shortly after his address, Israel conducted the strike that killed Nasrallah.