Republicans have urged Democrat Biden to punish Iran for Sunday’s drone attack on a US military facility near the Jordanian-Syrian border, with some even urging a direct attack on Iran.
Asked whether Iran was to blame for the attack on Jordan, Biden responded: “I hold them responsible, in the sense that they are providing weapons to the people who did it.”
When Biden was asked if direct ties with Iran were off the table, he said “we’ll discuss”.
But his administration believes attacking Iranian territory could lead to an explosion in the region, with attacks on allied militias and possibly Iranian Revolutionary Guard personnel in other countries more likely, US media reported.
“It’s very possible that you will see a tiered approach here, not just one action but potentially multiple actions,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters aboard Air Force One.
The deaths of the service members come as campaigning for the US presidential election in November is in full swing, increasing political pressure on Biden.