Israeli strikes on military targets in Iran are "an exercise of self-defence" following Tehran's ballistic missile attack earlier this month, the United States said late Friday, adding it was informed ahead of the strikes.
White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said 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."
The United States was "informed beforehand and there is no US involvement," a US defence official told AFP, under the condition of anonymity.
The official did not say how far in advance the United States had been informed or what had been shared by Israel.
White House officials said in separate statements later that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had been briefed on the strikes and would continue to receive updates from their national security teams.
Sean Savett said the United States urged Iran on Saturday to stop attacking Israel to break the cycle of violence after Israel launched strikes against the Islamic republic in retaliation for a missile barrage.
"We urge Iran to cease its attacks on Israel so that this cycle of fighting can end without further escalation," US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett told reporters.
The Israeli military conducted air strikes against Iran on Saturday, hitting military bases and missile sites, and other systems in several regions.
"Their response was an exercise in self-defense and specifically avoided populated areas and focused solely on military targets, contrary to Iran's attack against Israel that targeted Israel's most populous city," he added.
Stressing that the United States did not participate in the operation, he said "it is our aim to accelerate diplomacy and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region".
A senior administration official said President Joe Biden and his national security team have worked with the "Israelis over recent weeks to encourage Israel to conduct a response that was targeted and proportional with low risk of civilian harm".
"And that appears to have been precisely what transpired this evening," the official told reporters.
President Biden had encouraged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "to design a response that served to deter further attacks against Israel while reducing risks of further escalation, and that is our objective".