Biden Discourages Israel From Attacking Iran’s Oil Fields

(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden sought to discourage Israel from attacking Iran’s oil fields, even as he said the country has the right to respond after Tehran’s ballistic-missile barrage earlier this week.

“If I were in their shoes I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields,” Biden told reporters at the White House.

Biden said he was consulting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as it decides how to respond to Tuesday’s attack, which saw Iran launch some 200 ballistic missiles at targets across the country. While some of the missiles got through Israel’s defenses, there was little damage. Netanyahu has warned Israel has no choice but to retaliate, and an attack could come at any time.

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The US and other Group of Seven nations are weighing sanctions on Iran, which is already under smothering financial restrictions. Asked if the US was considering fresh sanctions on Iran’s oil sector, Biden said “that’s under consideration right now — the whole thing.”

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