President Biden issued a cryptic warning to Iran Wednesday to ‘be careful’ despite his administration painstakingly denying any links between the country and the brutal attacks by Hamas that butchered more than 1,200 people in Israel.
Biden made the comments while speaking to a group of Jewish leaders at the White House just one day after he avoided any mention of Iran in his speech responding to the attacks.
‘You know, I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu I don’t know how many times, but again this morning, and already we’re surging additional military assistance to the Israeli Defense Force, including ammunition, interceptors to replenish the Iron Dome, and we’ve moved the U.S. carrier fleet to the Eastern Mediterranean, and we’re sending more fighter jets there to that region, and made it clear — made it clear to the Iranians: Be careful,’ Biden said.
National Security Counsel spokesperson John Kirby reiterated the administration’s belief earlier in the day that there was no specific evidence Iran was involved in the egregious actions taken by Hamas over the weekend. However, he left open the possibility that assessment could change in the future as intelligence continues to be assessed.
The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that Iranian security officials approved Hamas’ plan to attack Israel during a meeting in Beirut on Oct. 2. Hamas and Hezbollah leaders said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps worked with Hamas since August on air, land and sea attack plans.
A European official who works as an adviser to the Syrian government corroborated the Hamas and Hezbollah leaders’ claims, according to the report.
During a televised speech Tuesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, ‘We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack.’
Khamenei, who was wearing a Palestinian scarf and delivering his first broadcast remarks since Hamas launched attacks on Israel on Saturday, also said Tehran was not involved, according to Reuters.
Following the attack, the administration has faced increased criticism over the $6 billion of Iranian assets it recently unfroze.
Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Brandon Gillespie is an associate editor at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter at @brandon_cg.