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Update(1550ET): After President Biden earlier in the week expressed that he wants Israel to avoid hitting Iran’s nuclear sites, he has now inched back the possibility that Israel could take out the Islamic Republic’s oil and gas fields and facilities. In Friday afternoon remarks Biden said that Israel has not yet decided how to respond to Iran’s Oct.1st major ballistic missile attack on Israel.

“If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields,” Biden said during an incredibly rare appearance at the White House daily press briefing.

Biden also strongly suggested there won’t be Israeli retaliation tonight or possibly even this weekend. “It’s the High Holidays… They’re not going to make a decision immediately. And so, we’re going to wait to see when they want to talk,” he said.

Biden elsewhere in the press conference said in response to a question of how he thinks Israel should respond to Tehran, “That’s between me and them.”

“What I know is the plan that I put together received the support of the UN Security Council, the vast majority of our allies around the world, as a way to bring this to an end,” Biden said.

“The Israelis have every right to respond to the vicious attacks on them — not just from the Iranians but from everyone from Hezbollah to Houthis. But the fact is that they have to be much more careful about dealing with civilian casualties,” the president described. There was also this interesting exchange:

Asked whether he thinks Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is rejecting diplomatic agreements in Gaza and Lebanon to influence the upcoming presidential election, Biden responds, “No administration has helped Israel more than I have. None, none, none, and I think Bibi should remember that.

“As for whether he’s trying to influence the election or I don’t know, but I’m not counting on that,” Biden adds.

Biden says he assumes he will speak to Netanyahu when Israel decides on how it wants to respond to Iran.

Another reporter suggests Biden does not influence Israel. The president rejects the premise, saying he receives regular briefings and that his team is in constant contact with their Israeli counterparts.

The reality is that the United States does in fact have immense leverage over Israel – given that Israel’s nearly entire arsenal comes from Washington (and from US taxpayers, to the tune of billions every year) – but no US administration has ever actually cut off Israel, and certainly Biden won’t. Neither side of the aisle would ever contemplate it.

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In a massive escalation and unprecedented first since the Gaza War began on Oct.7 of last year, a drone attack launched from Iraq has scored a direct hit on an Israeli base on the northern Golan Heights region. 

Initial reports suggest a mass casualty event: Two Israeli soldiers were killed and 24 were wounded in a drone attack from Iraq, the IDF has announced. The attack appears to have occurred Thursday morning, according to the Israeli statement, but is only being disclosed 24 hours later.

The slain soldiers have been identified as: Sgt. Daniel Aviv Haim Sofer, 19, a signals officer cadet in the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion, from Ashkelon;  andCpl. Tal Dror, 19, an IT specialist with the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion, from Jerusalem.

An IDF military investigation found that two explosive-laden drones were launched from Iraq by pro-Iran paramilitary groups. The US and Israel believe these groups are controlled from Tehran, as well as pro-Iranian political leaders in Baghdad and influential Shia clerics.

One of the drones was shot down by Israeli air defense missiles, but the other one made it through and struck the base.

“In addition to the two slain soldiers, another 24 were wounded in the attack, including two seriously, one moderately, and 21 lightly,” Israeli media documents based on the military statement. A Friday statement from Iraqi paramilitaries has taken responsibility and warned of more to come:

The umbrella group of Iran-aligned armed forces in Iraq says it launched projectiles against three targets in occupied Golan and Tiberias in Israel.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq added in a statement that its forces used drones at the targets, with the attacks taking place at dawn on Friday. It promised to continue “operations to pound the enemy’s strongholds at an escalating pace.”

This comes just as Israel and the US are mulling a response to Iran’s Oct.1 major ballistic missile attack. It will likely serve to nudge the Netanyahu government in the direction of a robust direct response. Israel might also target Iran-backed Iraqi militia positions in side Iraq as a result.

This certainly isn’t the first time in recent weeks and months projectiles were launched from Iraq, however, those prior instances proved ineffective as drones and missiles either get shot down or land in open desert areas. On Friday Israeli Army Radio is saying more rocket launches have been detected targeting towns in the southern Golan.

New signs of things spiraling toward bigger regional war as Israel contemplates hitting back at Iran:

⚡️BREAKING:

So far US and Britain launched 14 airstrikes on Sanaa and Hodeidah airport, Yemen.

Meanwhile Israel is attacking Gaza, Syria and Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/uKISCfPuJx

— Current Report (@Currentreport1) October 4, 2024

Also on Friday, there appear to be new air raids on Houthi positions in Yemen by US and British jets, and this new campaign possibly includes Israeli aircraft as well. Yemen’s Houthi Al Masirah TV is reporting that US and British air attacks are hitting Hodeidah Airport, Sanaa and Dhamar City.

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More breaking developments via Al Jazeera [emphasis ZH]:

• The Israeli military continues to pound areas across Lebanon, especially Beirut, in addition to launching deadly strikes on the Gaza Strip.
• Four medics were killed in some of the latest attacks in Lebanon, while two bodies were recovered from Gaza’s southern Khan Younis.
• Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi invited regional governments to display support for Lebanon after arriving in Beirut. He is heading to Syria next.
• Al Jazeera condemned the assault by a member of the Palestinian Authority’s security on its correspondent, Laith Jaar, while covering the Israeli bombing of Tulkarem refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
• Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said any strike at Israel “is a service” to the whole region and the world.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) received a first shipment of medical aid to Lebanon, with more expected today and tomorrow.