The United States stated late Friday that Israeli strikes on Iranian military sites constitute “an exercise of self-defence” in response to Tehran’s ballistic missile launch earlier this month, adding that it was notified in advance of the strikes.

The “targeted strikes on military targets” are “an exercise of self-defence and in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on October 1,” according to Sean Savett, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council.

Under the condition of anonymity, a US defence official told AFP that the US was “informed beforehand and there is no US involvement.”

The person did not specify what Israel had communicated or how far ahead the United States had been notified.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were informed on the strikes and will continue to get updates from their national security teams, according to separate comments subsequently released by White House officials.