 "Biden meeting with his national security team as US pledges 'support' for Israel against Iran")
President Joe Biden and his national security staff observed Iran’s aerial attack on Israel on Saturday, while US forces worked together to shoot down Tehran’s explosive-laden drones.
With tensions reaching their greatest point since the Israel-Hamas war began six months ago, Biden promised that American backing for Israel’s defence against strikes by Iran and its proxies remains “ironclad.”
US forces shot down three Iran-launched attack drones that were heading towards Israel, according to a US defence official and two other US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the topic.
The defence official stated that the endeavour to intercept the strike was ongoing.
Biden had cut short a weekend trip at his Delaware beach house to meet with his national security staff at the White House on Saturday afternoon, returning to Washington only minutes before Israeli officials verified that drones were being fired from Iran against their area.
According to the White House, he called a principals meeting of the National Security Council to examine the developing crisis in the crisis Room.
Iran has never directly attacked Israel militarily before, raising the possibility of a larger regional confrontation.
For days, the US and Israel had braced for an attack — claimed by Iran as retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals in the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force.
The Pentagon reported that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had spoken with his Israeli counterpart “to discuss urgent regional threats … and made clear that Israel could count on full US support to defend Israel against any attacks by Iran and its regional proxies.” National security adviser Jake Sullivan also spoke with his counterpart to reinforce Washington’s “ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsNational Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a Saturday statement that “Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel.” She added: “The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”
Biden on Friday said the United States was “devoted” to defending Israel and that “Iran will not succeed.” Asked by reporters what his message was for Iran, the president’s only reply was: “Don’t.”
He ignored a question about what would trigger a direct US military response, and when asked how imminent an Iranian attack on Israel was, Biden said he did not want to get into secure information, “but my expectation is sooner than later.”
The US, along with its allies, have sent direct messages to Tehran to warn against further escalating the conflict.
During the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, there have been near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group along the Israel-Lebanon border. US officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on US forces at bases in those countries since war started on Oct. 7.
One attack in late January killed three US service members in Jordan. In retaliation, the US launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria.
Meantime, on Saturday, commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard rappelled from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel.
Watson, the NSC spokesperson, said the US strongly condemned the seizure and urged Iran to release the ship and crew immediately.
“We will work with our partners to hold Iran to account for its actions,” she said.
Also Saturday, the Israeli-occupied West Bank also saw some of the worst violence since Hamas’ attack on Israel.
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