“We are not talking about a weapon that can be used to attack human beings or cause physical destruction here on earth,” a White House spokesman said.
Two straight days of attacks have hit military targets in response to rising attacks on Red Sea shipping, which the Houthis linked to the war between Israel and Hamas.
The Pentagon took days to tell the White House that the defense secretary had been hospitalized, raising grave questions about national security and the chain of command.
The Biden administration said it would be asking questions about reports of Israel illegally using white phosphorus in October in Lebanon. Israel denied the claims.