‘Wait Wait Wait Wait! Let Me Finish!’ John Kirby Battles Al Jazeera Reporter On Claim U.S. ‘Provoking’ Iran and ‘Widening’ Gaza War

White House national security spokesman John Kirby got into a heated back and forth with an Al Jazeera correspondent this week over who is provoking whom and whether the United States is “escalating” the war in Gaza.

Al Jazeera correspondent Kimberly Halkett started her question for Kirby on Thursday with the premise that the United States is “widening and escalating” the conflict in the Middle East after the killing of a prominent Hamas figure.

The question refers to the killing of terror leaders in Lebanon this week, including Hamas deputy chief Saleh Arouri.

The two first argued over whether the the United States is supporting “widening” the war and then over whether the United States is “provoking” Iran by protecting commercial ships from missile attacks.

After several minutes off heated cross-talk, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre put a stop to the line of questions and the briefing moved on.

JEAN-PIERRE: In the back. Way in the back, go ahead. In the back.

REPORTER: Yeah. Admiral, you said the United States doesn’t want a second front. And you also said that Israel has a right and responsibility to go after Hamas leadership. But isn’t the United States and the President — aren’t they exactly widening and escalating this, given the fact that the U.S. is supporting chasing Hamas leadership outside of Gaza? I mean, the fact that it’s going into Lebanon, a sovereign nation.

KIRBY: Again, your question is presuming an awful lot and is presuming that I said things I didn’t say. I’m not…

REPORTER: I have it right here.

KIRBY: I’m not confirming that the — that the Israelis took this airstrike. I would refer you to them to speak to their military operations.

REPORTER: They haven’t denied it.

KIRBY: Nevertheless, I’m not confirming that they — that they — that they took this strike. They have a right and a responsibility to go after Hamas leadership, and we expect that they’ll do that in accordance with international law.

Nothing has changed about the fact that we don’t want the conflict to widen. I mean, heck, my opening statement was four or five pages’ worth of talking about all the kind of capabilities that the President is putting in the region to prevent that very outcome.

REPORTER: Okay. So, let me follow-up on that then. Given the Red Sea patrols, we knew in advance of those being set up that the Iranian defense minister said very clearly, “Nobody can make a move in a region where we have predominance.” The United States knew that, set it up anyway. Is that not being seen as a provocation? If you know that Iran sees that as a provocation, you take the action anyway.

KIRBY: Wow. Well, that’s certainly turning things on their — upside down, isn’t it? Wouldn’t — wouldn’t you consider a provocation the launching of ballistic missiles and drones at commercial —

REPORTER: Well, the United States —

KIRBY: Wait, wait, wait. Let me —

REPORTER: — doesn’t have soil there.

KIRBY: Let me finish. Wouldn’t that be considered a provocation, taking — targeting innocent merchant shipping —

REPORTER: I’m asking you the question.

KIRBY: — and innocent merchant sailors? That’s a provocation.

What we’re doing? what Prosperity Guardian is all about? – And go on the web and you can look at it — it’s a defensive posture. It’s a coalition of the willing of maritime nations coming together to try to protect international shipping, shipping that affects the global economy.

REPORTER: But it’s led to an escalation, because, in turn, what has happened is —

KIRBY: No ma’am. No ma’am.

REPORTER: So, you’re denying, then, that there has been an escalation since the Red Sea patrol?

KIRBY: I totally disagree with the premise of your question.

REPORTER: Okay, but since the —

KIRBY: It wasn’t the United States who decided to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis did that. And who are the Houthis backed by? Iran. As I’ve said before, Iran provided the missiles that the Houthis are using.

We are simply in a defensive posture to try to protect that commercial shipping, and we have in the last 48 hours.

REPORTER: And since then, there’s been an escalation. Now, Iran has launched a frigate into that. So, there has been escalation.

KIRBY: Okay, again, let me stop you. The fact that they —

REPORTER: So, has the United — I ask you again: Has the United States’ actions supported an escalation as a result?

KIRBY: No.

REPORTER: You said that the Pres- — your words said —

KIRBY: You asked me a question, ma’am. I answered it. No.

JEAN-PIERRE: We got to move on.

REPORTER: You said nothing the President has ordered has been designed to widen or deepen this conflict.

KIRBY: I stand by my answer. No.

JEAN-PIERRE: Okay, we’ve got to move on.

Watch the clip above, via The White House.