Middle East: Biden warns of attacks on Iranian oil facilities

Handelsblatt Middle East: Biden warns of attacks on Iranian oil facilities Article by , dpa , Reuters , Bloomberg Maier-Borst, Haluka • 1 hour • 2 minutes reading time US President Joe Biden caused uncertainty with a statement about an Israeli reaction to the Iranian attack. It is still unclear how Israel will react to Iran's latest attacks. US President Joe Biden is skeptical about some targets - with positive effects on the price of oil. US President Joe Biden advises Israel against attacks on the infrastructure of the Iranian oil industry. "If I were in their place, I would think about other alternatives than attacking oil fields," Biden said during a surprise appearance at the White House's regular press conference, which is usually held by his spokeswoman. Biden said the Israelis had not yet decided how they would respond to the latest Iranian attack on Tuesday evening. When asked whether he was in contact with the Israeli government on this, he said they were in constant communication and added: "I assume that we will have a discussion about how they will respond once they have made a decision." Biden had previously said that the US was discussing its position on a possible Israeli attack on Iranian oil facilities. The statement promptly led to uncertainty on the markets. If Israel were to attack important oil infrastructure, this would be a significant escalation. Global supplies, especially to China, could be disrupted. Oil price gives up gains Biden's latest announcement also had an impact on the markets: the rise in prices slowed. The oil price gave up more than a dollar of its daily gains. North Sea Brent oil continued to trade 0.5 percent higher at $78.06, while US WTI oil rose 0.9 percent at $74.37. On Wednesday, Biden had also spoken out against an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. The US president now stressed that Israel has the right to defend itself, but also said: "The Israelis have to be much more careful when it comes to dealing with civilian casualties." Biden did not want to answer the question of whether the upcoming US presidential election might have an impact on Israel's decision-making. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a close relationship with former President Donald Trump, who is running again as a Republican presidential candidate. Conflict in the Middle East affects US election campaign Some observers suspect that the Israeli head of state is waiting to see who wins the presidency next month before considering a ceasefire. "I don't know whether he will try to influence the election, but I don't expect it," Biden said, adding that "no government has helped Israel more than I have."