Biden administration ‘lost control’ to Israel amid brewing MidEast crisis, expert says There is no doubt that the “Biden administration has completely lost control” to Israel amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran research programme at International Crisis Group, pointing to the Israel’s targeted strike on Beirut after the US called for a diplomatic solution between Israel and Lebanon. “The junior partner is using the United States as its proxy and doing whatever it wants,” Vaez said, adding that “there is a window of opportunity” in the five weeks leading up to the US presidential election during which "there would be no constraints whatsoever” on Israel’s actions in the MidEast region.