President Bush backs Israel in the execution of Yassin. (Hat tip: scaramouche.)

“Any country has the right to defend itself from terror. Israel has the right to defend herself from terror. And as she does so, I hope she keeps consequences in mind as to how to make sure we stay on the path to peace,” Bush said in his first public comment on Monday’s assassination of Hamas leader Ahmed Yassin.

Minutes before Bush spoke to reporters, White House spokesman Scott McClellan urged Israel to exercise “maximum restraint” in response to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s order to target all Palestinian militant leaders.

Bush did not repeat a statement by McClellan on Monday that Washington was “deeply troubled” by Yassin’s killing.

“I’m worried about terrorist groups targeting America,” Bush said when asked about possible threats by Hamas against the United States. “Whether it be an Hamas threat, or an al Qaeda threat, we take them very seriously in this administration.”