Biden directed the US military to assist in Israel’s defense against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles targeting the country, the White House said.
US President Joe Biden has said that Iran’s missile attack on Israel appears to have failed and been ineffective. Iran fired about 200 missiles targeting Israel on Tuesday night. The Israeli military said there were no reports of casualties in the attack.
Biden said at the official office and residence of the US President, “At my direction, the US military actively cooperated in the defense of Israel. We are still assessing the impact, but based on the information received, the attack appears to be unsuccessful and ineffective and it is also a proof of Israel’s military capability … and the intensive planning between the US and Israel to prevent such attacks.”
He said, ‘There is no doubt that America fully supports Israel. I spent some time in the morning and afternoon in the ‘Situation Room’, meeting with my entire national security team… As I said, the national security team is in constant touch with Israeli officials and counterparts…’
Biden directed the US military to assist in Israel’s defense against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles targeting the country, the White House said.
Major General Patrick S. Ryder, press secretary at the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, said that most of the missiles were destroyed before reaching their targets, although some did reach the target and caused minimal damage.
Condemning this attack, Vice President Kamala Harris said, ‘I unequivocally condemn this attack. I clearly believe that Iran is a dangerous force creating instability in West Asia and today’s attack on Israel further confirms this fact.’
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that this is Iran’s second direct attack on Israel in the last five months. He said, ‘This is absolutely unacceptable and the whole world should condemn it.’
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that the US military was working closely with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to defend Israel from this attack.
Ryder said that before and during the attack, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to his Israeli counterpart Yoav Galant.
He said, ‘Austin reiterated America’s strong commitment to the defense of Israel and emphasized that the US is fully prepared to defend Israel and American forces in the West Asia region in view of the threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organizations.
At the same time, former President Donald Trump blamed the Biden administration for the attack. He said in a statement, ‘The world is burning and the situation is getting out of control. We have no leadership, no one to run the country. We have a nonexistent President in the form of Joe Biden and an oblivious Vice President in the form of Kamala Harris, who is very busy raising funds in San Francisco … No one is in charge and it is also not clear who is more confused: Biden or Kamala. Neither of them knows what is happening.’
