https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-iran-proxies-mideast-tensions-hamas-c57e89a9cbe178b20b53bac404a86728
Biden meeting with his national security team as US pledges support for Israel against IranPresident Joe Biden cut short a weekend stay at his Delaware beach house to meet with his national security team at the White House Saturday and monitor the situation in the Middle East as Iran launched an attack against Israel.
Tensions are at their highest since the Israel-Hamas war began six months ago after a suspected Israeli strike this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals in the Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force. Iran has promised to retaliate against Israel, and U.S. and Israeli officials have been bracing for an attack, raising concerns about the conflict escalating into a wider regional war.
National 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.
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 U.S. 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 Washingtons ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.
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 presidents only reply was: Dont.
He ignored a question about what would trigger a direct U.S. 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 U.S., along with its allies, have sent direct messages to Tehran to warn against further escalating the conflict.