Netanyahu Told US Israel Willing to Strike Iranian Military Targets

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the United States that Israel is willing to strike Iranian military targets and not nuclear or oil ones, The Washington Post reported Monday, citing two officials familiar with the matter.

Netanyahu's office said in a statement after the Post report that Israel will listen to the United States but will make its own decisions based on its national interest.

This comes at a politically fraught time for the U.S., as it is less than a month before the presidential election. President Joe Biden has said he would not support Israel striking Iranian nuclear sites.

Netanyahu told Biden on Wednesday he was planning to target military infrastructure in Iran, according to an official familiar with the matter, who added Israel's strikes would be calibrated to avoid the perception of "political interference in the U.S. elections."

Israel's plan was met with relief in Washington, since striking Iran's oil facilities could spike energy prices and attacking Iran's nuclear sites could spark a larger war, the Post reported.

The Pentagon announced Sunday it would deploy its anti-ballistic THAAD battery system to Israel, along with approximately 100 U.S. military personnel.

Information from Reuters was used to compile this report.

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