President Biden expressed his opposition on Wednesday to the possibility of Israel launching a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as tensions between the two nations continue to escalate. When asked about the matter, the 81-year-old president responded firmly, “The answer is no,” during an impromptu exchange with reporters beneath the wing of Air Force One as he prepared to depart Washington for a trip to North Carolina to assess damage from Hurricane Helene.

On Tuesday, Iran launched a direct attack on Israel, marking the second such strike this year. Approximately 200 rockets were fired, though they reportedly caused minimal damage and resulted in no Israeli casualties.

The barrage from Tehran followed Israel’s dramatic assassination of Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut on Friday. This strike came after a series of recent Israeli operations that decimated the leadership of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, including the use of new electronic pager-triggered explosions.

In response to Iran’s latest aggression, the White House on Tuesday pledged to hold Tehran accountable, following a similar incident in April. However, the administration stopped short of committing to stricter enforcement of sanctions on Iranian oil exports, despite growing bipartisan pressure from Congress to do so.

The future of Iran’s nuclear ambitions was a focal point during the vice presidential debate on Tuesday night. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, avoided taking a stance on whether he would support an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear sites. In contrast, Republican Sen. JD Vance stated that he would back Israel’s decisions regarding such an attack.

It remains uncertain whether the Israeli government will heed Biden’s stance on this issue, especially since Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu disregarded the president’s request on Monday to refrain from conducting military incursions into southern Lebanon aimed at disabling Hezbollah positions. According to The Jerusalem Post, Biden’s warning against invading Lebanon was perceived in Israel as largely symbolic, with no real threat or diplomatic solution on the horizon.

{Matzav.com}