US INFORMED
NBC and CNN, citing sources familiar with the matter and a US official respectively, said Israel had provided Washington with pre-notification of the strike.
Israel told the US on Thursday that it would be retaliating against Iran in the coming days, a senior US official said.
The US “didn’t endorse the response” the official added.
There was no immediate comment from the White House about the strike.
In response to a query from AFP, the Pentagon duty desk said: “We do not have anything to offer at this time.”
Shares and bond yields sank in Asia trade on Friday while safe-haven currencies, gold and crude oil jumped. Brent futures surged as much as 4.2 per cent on concerns that Middle East supply could be disrupted before shedding some gains.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares dropped 2 per cent, after earlier diving as much as 2.6 per cent, and US stock futures pointed 1 per cent lower.
Israel’s assault on Gaza began after Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing 1,200, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the local health ministry.
Iran-backed groups have declared support for Palestinians, launching attacks from Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq.
