The elimination of Hezbollah’s leader by an Israeli military strike near Beirut is “an act of justice” for his many victims, including thousands of American, Israeli, and Lebanese citizens, said U.S. President Joe Biden today.
“The U.S. fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself,” Biden reiterated in his statement.
Biden announced that he instructed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to bolster U.S. defense forces in the Middle East to deter potential attacks and reduce the risk of a broader war.
He also emphasized that the U.S. aims to de-escalate the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means. Biden did not comment on the statement from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who vowed to avenge Nasrallah’s death.
Earlier, Khamenei declared a five-day mourning period in Iran for Nasrallah’s death, stating that “the blood of the martyr will not go unavenged” and that others will continue on his path. “Nasrallah was not just an individual, he represented a path and a school of thought, and that path will continue,” read Khamenei’s statement, broadcast on state television.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeskian accused the U.S. of being complicit in Nasrallah’s death, partially due to supplying Israel with advanced weaponry. “The Americans cannot deny their complicity,” he remarked.
“The United States is determined to prevent Iran and its Iranian-backed partners and proxies from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated earlier following talks with his Israeli counterpart.
“I spoke twice yesterday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant about the events in Lebanon. I expressed my full support for Israel’s right to defend itself and its people against Iranian-backed terrorist groups. I emphasized that the U.S. is determined to prevent Iran and its proxies from taking advantage of the situation or escalating the conflict. I made it clear that the U.S. remains ready to protect American forces and facilities in the region and is committed to defending Israel,” Austin said in a post on the platform X.
Meanwhile, Russia strongly condemned Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, calling it “yet another political assassination.”
“This aggressive action is fraught with even more dramatic consequences for Lebanon and the entire Middle East,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The Israeli side did not fail to recognize this risk but nonetheless proceeded with killing Lebanese citizens, which will almost certainly trigger another outbreak of violence. Therefore, Israel bears full responsibility for the ensuing escalation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry added.
