With the Middle East on the brink of all-out war on Thursday, people around the world were wondering when Israel would retaliate against Iran and what its targets would be.
So President Biden told them:
Well, not completely. But the US president gave two candid answers to questions from reporters, offering an unusual glimpse into the targets and timing of military strikes being prepared by allies.
First, Biden said the United States was “in talks” about the possibility of Israel attacking Iran’s vast oil fields, a move that would dramatically escalate the conflict. He seemed to express some concern about the military option, saying, “I think it’s a little bit-” but then quickly stopped mid-sentence and replied, “Anyway.”
In response to another question about a possible Israeli attack on Iran, he said: “Nothing will happen today. We’ll talk about that later.”
It was a moment that underscored the power of the president, or at least the power of his words. Everything said by the president’s staff in the Oval Office is routinely transcribed and analyzed as it travels around the world. But now it’s happening at the speed of social media and there’s nowhere to hide.
Both of Biden’s comments on Thursday quickly made headlines in Israel, as Israeli leaders have so far remained vague about when and where they would attack Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We will uphold the rule we have established: whoever attacks us, we attack.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu also added that Iran’s decision to launch more than 200 ballistic missiles into Israel this week was a “big mistake” and that Iran “will pay the price.” However, he declined to make any specific mention.
What’s your reaction to Biden’s surprising clarity?
Oil prices rose more than 4% on Thursday, reflecting investors’ fears that escalating wars in the Middle East could disrupt oil supplies.
It is by no means certain that Israel is preparing to attack Iran’s oil production capabilities. But even Biden’s allusion to it was enough to send a jolt of concern around the world.
The president’s comments about the possibility of a strike were not all that surprising. Military experts had predicted that Israel would not attack Iran until after the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashana, which begins at sundown on Wednesday and continues through most of Friday.
But Biden is one person who may actually know the answer to that question. So it was shocking to hear him casually tell everyone what he knew.
Thursday’s revelations are hardly top secret, and Biden is not the only president to blurt out information that aides and others might have wanted to keep private. (For example, former President Donald J. Trump is known for posting sensitive information on social media.)
Mr. Biden has only a few months left in his term as president, but he has long made off-the-cuff remarks that have sometimes gotten him into trouble. In a speech in Warsaw in 2022, he ad-libbed his thoughts about Russian President Vladimir V. Putin: “No matter how you look at it, this man cannot remain in power.” The comments immediately sparked concerns that the United States was seeking his ouster. His aides spent hours insisting that he had simply misspoken.
White House officials on Thursday declined to comment on Biden’s recent remarks to reporters gathered at the White House to watch his departure aboard Marine One.
Biden fielded several questions as helicopter engines roared just meters away. These included questions about the recent vice presidential debate and whether he plans to speak to Putin at the next summit.
He was also asked about the possibility that the United States would find another way to punish Iran for the missile attack.
“What kind of sanctions are you considering against Iran?” a reporter asked. “What sanctions are you considering?”
At least in that case, Biden thought it wise to reveal more.
“Before I tell you, I’ll tell them,” he said.
