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President Joe Biden, April 12, 2024. (Credit: Alex Brandon/AP)

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reiterated Monday morning that President Joe Biden is focused on preventing Iran’s attack on Israel from escalating into a broader regional conflict.

“The fact that Iran has carried out this unprecedented attack, which we and our Israeli and other allies have thwarted, does not mean that we should accept continued and escalating escalation in the region. The President accepts this. He’s not going to do that, he wants to do it to de-escalate,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN’s Kate Bolduan this morning.

Asked whether the White House’s position is that Israel will not retaliate, Kirby said that is ultimately up to the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but that the United States wants tensions to be reduced.

“We respect their sovereign decision-making process. What we want is for tensions to be reduced. We don’t want to see a widespread war and everything the president is doing, including defending Israel on Saturday night. I believe this is the first time it has been done to de-escalate and put resources into the region to send a strong signal to anyone who interferes with our interests or our allies and That could work against the interests of the partners,” Kirby said.

And amid questions in the House of Representatives about the future of aid to Ukraine, Kirby called on President Johnson to bring the Senate-passed national security funding package to a vote.

“What has to happen in the House of Representatives is that the bipartisan bill passed by the Senate that includes Ukraine, that includes the Indo-Pacific, that includes border security as well as Israel, has to be voted on because we know Kate that if She came to the House today, she will have the votes to move forward,” Kirby said.