Kirby says Netanyahu was ‘very grateful’ for Biden’s support of Israel in phone call

John Kirby, White House national security communications adviser, said Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “very grateful” for the support of the United States in a phone call with President Biden.

“The prime minister was very grateful for the support that President Biden offered and demonstrated in supporting Israel. And the president made it clear that the self-defense of Israel is something we take seriously, and we will continue to take that seriously,” Kirby said on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper.

The U.S. helped Israel repel the aerial attack from Iran overnight, with the Israeli military saying it intercepted most of the missiles and drones. Biden spoke with Netanyahu on Saturday in the wake of what Biden described as a “brazen attack” against Israel.

Kirby emphasized that Biden wanted to congratulate Netanyahu on its success in intercepting hundreds of missiles and drones headed toward Israel.

“I certainly won’t speak for Prime Minister Netanyahu and what they’re thinking and whether and how they’re going to respond, because, really, that’s up for them to decide,” Kirby said on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper.

“The purpose of the call was to check in with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the —at the end of the operations. Not everything had finished getting into Israel in terms of the drones were still on the way. But we felt like we were near the end. The president wanted to congratulate Prime Minister Netanyahu for an incredible military achievement,” he said.