'We do not have a comment': White House refuses to address Middle East unrest, defers to State Dept.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to remark connected the Biden administration's response, peculiarly a deficiency thereof, escalating tensions successful the Middle East during her Friday greeting property briefing. 

"I cognize there's a batch of involvement successful reports from the Middle East overnight. And we recognize that, we get that. I'm going to spot it now, though. I cognize you volition each surely inquire maine astir it. That we bash not person immoderate remark connected the reports astatine this time. Obviously, you each heard from Secretary Blinken earlier this morning," Jean-Pierre said.

Jean-Pierre added that President Biden is kept successful the loop and up-to-date connected everything happening with unrest successful the Middle East. 

This comes aft Israel carried retired constricted strikes connected Iran aboriginal Friday successful retaliation for Tehran firing a barrage of missiles and drones astatine Israel past Saturday.

IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAKES NO MENTION OF ISRAELI STRIKE DESPITE THREATENING COMPLETE DESTRUCTION

During Friday's WH property briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to remark connected the overnight unrest successful the Middle East. (Getty Images)

Fox News confirmed determination person been explosions successful Iran's Isfahan province, which is wherever Natanz, 1 of Iran's atomic facilities, is located. 

Jean-Pierre said the White House does not privation to spot struggle escalate successful the Middle East.

"We person been very, precise wide from the opening that we bash not privation to spot this struggle escalate. We proceed to consult with our allies and partners, including successful the region, obviously, and to trim further hazard of escalation successful the region. And that's a sentiment that was expressed successful the G-7 Foreign Ministry's associated connection that went retired this morning," Jean-Pierre said. "You heard that now, obviously, from Secretary Blinken, who was portion of that meeting. I'm conscionable going to beryllium ace mindful. I'm not going to speculate oregon talk to immoderate of the reportings that are retired determination astatine this time."

When asked whether the U.S. was informed by the Israelis up of the antagonistic strike, Jean-Pierre inactive declined to comment.

"I'm not going to talk to our diplomatic conversations," Jean-Pierre stated.

She besides declined to reply if the U.S. has leverage successful the Middle East aft being questioned astir President Biden's effect of "don't" to immoderate Iranian retaliation.

ISRAEL STRIKES SITE IN IRAN IN RETALIATION FOR WEEKEND ASSAULT: SOURCE

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre talks to reporters during the regular quality league successful the Brady Press Briefing Room astatine the White House connected February 28, 2024, successful Washington, D.C.  (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

"I cognize this is not going to beryllium satisfying. I'm not going to talk to immoderate of the reports retired there. I'm conscionable not going to bash that, not going to speculate. I volition say, you've heard this from my NSE colleagues, and you've heard this from galore of america present astatine The White House. The president and the premier curate person a long-standing narration that goes decades, decades," Jean-Pierre said. 

"Because of that long-standing relationship, they are capable to talk precise honestly with each different and person hard conversations erstwhile it's necessary. That is the benignant of relationship that they have. I'm conscionable not going to talk to immoderate of the events that's been reported."

The United States has denied immoderate engagement successful the strike, having pleaded with Israel for days to respond with restraint against Iranian strikes.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, erstwhile asked astir Israel's strikes connected Iran connected Friday morning, said, "I'm not going to talk to that but to accidental that the United States has not been progressive successful immoderate violative operations."

"What we're focused on, what the G7 is focused on, and again, it's reflected successful our connection and successful our conversation, is our enactment to de-escalate tensions, to de-escalate from immoderate imaginable conflict. You saw Israel connected the receiving extremity of an unprecedented attack," helium added. "But our absorption has been on, of course, making definite that Israel tin efficaciously support itself, but besides de-escalating tensions, avoiding conflict."

REPUBLICANS SLAM BIDEN’S ‘DON’T’ DETERRENCE: ‘EVERY TIME HE SAYS DON’T, THEY DO’

An Israeli worker attaches an Israeli emblem connected apical of an armored unit bearer (APC) adjacent Israel's borderline with Gaza, successful confederate Israel, Monday, April 15, 2024. 

Iranian authorities media has besides reportedly downplayed Friday’s strikes, those of which a well-placed subject root told Fox News that those strikes were "limited." 

"The detonation this greeting successful the entity of Isfahan was related to the shooting of aerial defence systems astatine a suspicious entity that did not origin immoderate damage," according to Iranian service commandant Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi successful a study by the Associated Press. 

A elder Iranian authoritative reportedly told Reuters connected Friday that Tehran has nary contiguous plans to onslaught back.

Israel and its authorities person remained comparatively quiescent starring up to, and following, the retaliatory onslaught connected Iran. 

"Israel volition bash immoderate it needs to support itself," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said successful a connection earlier the Israeli strike. "[Foreign leaders] person each sorts of suggestions and advice. I admit that. But I privation to beryllium clear: Our decisions we volition marque ourselves."

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Former Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Jonathan Conricus tweeted that pursuing the strike, and portion Iran appears to downplay the strike, helium "think[s] they've gotten the message."

Fox News Digital's Timothy H.J. Nerozzi, Bradford Betz, Jennifer Griffin, Greg Norman and Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.