Ambulances line up on a road leading to a nightclub where a gun attack took place during a New Year party in Istanbul, Turkey, January 1, 2017. Ismail Coskun/Ihlas News Agency via REUTERS

HONOLULU (Reuters) - President Barack Obama expressed condolences on Saturday for the attack at a night club in Istanbul and directed his team to offer U.S. help to Turkish authorities, the White House said.

“This afternoon the president was briefed by his national security team on the attack in Istanbul,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said in a statement.

“The president expressed condolences for the innocent lives lost, directed his team to offer appropriate assistance to the Turkish authorities, as necessary, and keep him updated as warranted.”

Obama is on vacation in Hawaii.