Pentagon press secretary, Gen. Pat Ryder has said that U.S. warships “fired about a dozen interceptors against the incoming Iranian missiles.”
Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, confirmed that “U.S. navy ships joined Israeli air defense units to fire interceptors to shoot down incoming missiles.”
Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, said on X:
“The Times of Israel reports that the White House says US President Joe Biden met with Vice President Kamala Harris and their national security advisors this morning to talk about what they saw as Iran’s impending attack on Israel.”
“President Joe Biden ordered the US military on Tuesday to ‘aid Israel’s security’ and shoot down Iranian rockets aimed at Israel, the White House said,” according to Barrons.
Earlier Tuesday, the U.S. warned Iran about the attack, and a top White House source said that Iran would face “severe consequences” if it went ahead with it.
After the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israel, Iran attacked in retaliation. In the past few weeks, tensions have grown between Israel and its enemies in Iran and Lebanon. Israel has been on edge ever since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2018.
It’s important that things have gone this way. Although the U.S. does help Israel when it’s under attack, it’s a completely different thing for American soldiers to directly shoot down Iranian rockets.
WH’s Jake Sullivan on the Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel:
“Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles towards targets in Israel. The United States military coordinated closely with the Israeli Defense Forces to help defend Israel against this attack. U.S. naval… pic.twitter.com/EZQSFQ9kK0
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 1, 2024
On the other hand, this choice fits with the confusing approach the Biden-Harris government is taking toward Israel and Iran. The White House has been pushing for a nuclear deal with Iran that is similar to the one that Obama made, but both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have said that Israel has been too strict in its defense.
The Associated Press also says that Iraqi militants backed by Iran are threatening to fight back:
“Iraqi forces backed by Iran say that American interests in the region will be at risk if the U.S. takes part in “any aggressive action” against Iran. The group calling itself the Coordination Committee for the Iraqi Resistance said in a statement on Tuesday that they would target “all American bases and interests in Iraq and the region” if Israel used Iraqi airspace to attack Iran in response to the missiles that Iran fired at Israel. U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria are often hit by drones from groups backed by Iran. They say they are revenge for Washington’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.”
Author: Blake Ambrose
