It has been noted that On 60 Minutes, President Joe Biden said his message for Hezbollah, which is already reportedly in new border skirmishes with Israeli forces, and its backer Iran, which also supports Hamas, is: “Don’t. Don’t, don’t, don’t” via Media Ite.
Biden spoke with CBS News correspondent and co-host Scott Pelley about the Hamas terror attack and war, the involvement of the United States, and the president’s views on what can or should happen next.
In one exchange during the pre-recorded sit-down, Pelley asked Biden about Hezbollah and Iran. The question of whether Iran was directly involved in the specific planning of this most recent terror attack is still being investigated, according to administration spox John Kirby, although the country “of course” is “complicit” in the attack, he explained on Fox News, as a funder and trainer and arms supplier.
On 60 Minutes, after Biden said that he thinks Israel “understands that a significant portion of the Palestinian people do not share the views of Hamas and Hezbollah,” Pelley asked him about their involvement.
“There’s limited fighting already on the northern Israeli border. And I wonder, what is your message to Hezbollah and its backer, Iran?” Pelley asked.
“Don’t. Don’t, don’t, don’t,” said Biden.
“Don’t come across the border? Don’t escalate this war?” Pelley clarified.
“That’s right,” said Biden.
Pelley then asked him if Iran is “behind” the attack and war. Biden answered that there’s no evidence yet establishing that.
“PELLEY: Is Iran behind the Gaza war?
BIDEN: I don’t want to get into classified information, but to be very blunt with you, there’s no clear evidence of that.
PELLEY: At this point, no evidence that Iran is behind any of this.
BIDEN: Correct. Now, Iran constantly supports Hamas and Hezbollah. I don’t mean that. But in terms of were they, did they have foreknowledge that they are planning the attack? They – there’s there’s no evidence of that at this point.”
It is not known whether any specific paper trail links Iran directly to the immediate pre-planning of the attack may seem like a bit of red herring in the grand scheme of Iran’s enormous and long-term backing, funding, and training of terrorists, and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for such attacks for decades and his immediate solidarity with and support of the attack after it happened, but the administration is keyed on specifics due to its transfer just last month of $6 billion to Iran in a prisoner swap deal.
𝐁𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬.🐘❌🫏
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