Biden says US ‘fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself’ after Nasrallah death

Hezbollah has confirmed the killing of its leader in a massive Israeli air attack on a densely populated neighbourhood of Beirut that reduced several residential buildings to rubble.

Biden said the US “fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-supported terrorist groups”.

He added that his government was enhancing “the defense posture of U.S. military forces in the Middle East region to deter aggression and reduce the risk of a broader regional war”.

There was no mention in Biden’s statement about the civilians, including the dozens of children, who have been killed since Israel intensified its bombing campaign across Lebanon on Monday.

The US is Israel’s main weapons supplier and diplomatic ally. Since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip in October, Washington has vetoed three United Nations Security Council proposals for a ceasefire in the besieged enclave. It abstained on another vote in March demanding an immediate ceasefire.

Analysts have repeatedly warned that the US’s failure to apply pressure on Israel to end the war on Gaza and prevent escalation in Lebanon is leading the region to an all-out war.

Meanwhile, the US Department of State ordered some employees at its embassy in Beirut and family members to leave Lebanon following the killing of Nasrallah by Israel.

The State Department also urged Americans in the country to leave, warning the currently limited options to depart might become unavailable if the security situation worsens.

“Due to the increased volatility following air strikes within Beirut and the volatile and unpredictable security situation throughout Lebanon, the US embassy urges US citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial options still remain available,” it noted.

Meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the killing of Nasrallah is a historical turning point that could change the balance of power in the Middle East, though he warned of “challenging days” ahead.

“Nasrallah was not a terrorist, he was the terrorist,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

“Nasrallah’s killing was a necessary step toward achieving the goals we have set, returning residents of the north safely to their homes, and changing the balance of power in the region for years to come. So I gave the order – and Nasrallah is no longer with us.”

Israel’s leader added, “We settled the score with the one responsible for the murder of countless Israelis and many citizens of other countries, including hundreds of Americans and dozens of French.”

The head of the United Nations has urged all sides to “step back from the brink” following the dramatic escalation of events in Beirut, his spokesman stressed.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes “this cycle of violence must stop now”, Stephane Dujarric said.

“The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, as well as the wider region, cannot afford an all-out war.”

Guterres urged both sides to recommit to the full implementation of the 2006 UN Security Council resolution that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon, “and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities”, Dujarric added.

Guterres is “gravely concerned” by the “dramatic escalation” seen in Lebanon in the past days, his spokesperson has said in a statement, as Israel continues to pound Beirut and other areas.

“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,” the statement added.