The United States on Saturday offered clear support for Israel’s bombing campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, including a strike that killed the group’s longtime leader, but also said the time has come for ceasefires there and in Gaza.
President Joe Biden called the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah “a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis and Lebanese civilians.”
In a statement one day after an Israeli air strike on a southern Beirut suburb killed Nasrallah, Biden reiterated US support for “Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other groups.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running for president in November, called Nasrallah “a terrorist with American blood on his hands.”
The strong support from Washington, Israel’s top ally, came as Russia, several European countries and the United Nations warned of the killing’s potential repercussions.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “gravely concerned by the dramatic escalation of events in Beirut in the last 24 hours,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
“This cycle of violence must stop now, and all sides must step back from the brink. The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, as well as the wider region, cannot afford an all-out war.”
Read more: Hassan Nasrallah martyred, Hezbollah confirms death in Israeli strike
In his statement, Biden underscored the need for a diplomatic solution.
“Ultimately, our aim is to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means,” he said, mentioning a ceasefire proposal in Gaza and negotiations on allowing the safe return of residents to Israel and southern Lebanon.
“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,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after leaving church on Saturday, Biden said “it’s time for a ceasefire” after one asked whether an Israeli ground invasion was inevitable.
