Joe Biden reaffirms US support for Israel following Iranian ballistic missile attack, says barrage attack was “defeated and ineffective” and urges US military to help defend Israel against future attacks ordered.
After the Iranian government fired an unprecedented volley of 180 high-velocity ballistic missiles, the U.S. president told reporters on Tuesday that “the attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective. It’s a testament to the military.”
A US destroyer in the eastern Mediterranean has destroyed several Iranian missiles, US defense officials said. Vessels currently in the area include USS Arleigh Burke, USS Cole, and USS Bulkery. Additional destroyers are in the Red Sea.
“Make no mistake about it, the United States has our full, full support for Israel,” Biden said.
Biden’s vice president and Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, described Iran as a “dangerous force that destabilizes the Middle East” and said, “Israel’s ability to defend itself from Iran and Iranian-backed terrorist militias has been compromised. We will always make sure we have it,” he added.
Initial reports said that Israeli air defenses intercepted many of the incoming missiles, but some landed in south-central Israel, and that a missile that landed near the town of Jericho killed at least one person in the West Bank. It was suggested.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the missile attack was in retaliation for Israel’s killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and Iranian Revolutionary Guards deputy commander Abbas Nilforoushan. It was announced that it was carried out as
The White House National Security Council said Biden and Kamala Harris are monitoring Iran’s attack on Israel in the White House Situation Room and are receiving regular updates from the national security team.
Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, praised the response to the attack as “defeating and ineffective.”
But before the missile strikes were over, Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that the current Middle East conflict was “completely preventable” and that if he were president he would not have done such a thing. He claimed that it never happened.
The former president and current Republican nominee attacked Biden and Harris in a lengthy statement, saying the world is “out of control” and that the U.S. has “no leadership” and “no way to run the country.” There is no one who has done so.”
Trump added, “When I was president, Iran was completely in check.” “They were cash-starved, completely locked down and desperate to get a deal done.”
It remains unclear how escalating tensions in the Middle East will affect the US presidential election on November 5th.
Iran’s attack on Israel comes 38 days after the U.S. presidential election and hours before the much-anticipated U.S. vice presidential debate on Tuesday night, as the conflict in the Middle East looks set to continue to escalate.
A CNN poll conducted immediately after the presidential debate between Harris and Trump in September found that a majority of voters who watched the debate believed that Trump was the stronger candidate for the role of commander in chief. It turned out that he was looking at it.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said in a statement that Tuesday’s missile attack on Israel “should be a breaking point, and I urge the Biden administration to take overwhelming action against Israel, starting with Iran’s oil refining capabilities.” We urge them to coordinate their response accordingly.” .
“These refineries need to be hit hard because they are a source of funding for the regime to carry out terrorism,” he added.
In a separate statement, Graham said he had spoken to Trump, who said he was “determined and determined to protect Israel from the terrorist threat emanating from Iran.”
“While I appreciate the Biden administration’s statements, we must remember that at the time President Trump left office, Iran was economically weak, and the president sent the ultimate message to the administration by eliminating Soleimani,” Graham said. ” he said.
“The Iranian regime only understands strength, and now is the time to show our collective resolve against Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism,” Graham added.
“We need decisive action, not just statements,” he added.
Fellow Republican Sen. Marco Rubio also described the attack on Twitter/X as a “large-scale (non-symbolic) missile attack against Israel by the Iranian regime,” adding, “A large-scale Israeli attack within Iran. It is certain that there will be a retaliatory response.” .
In response to the attack, Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania wrote, “I stand with Israel and unequivocally condemn the Iranian missile attack.”
“The United States must continue to do everything we can to intercept Iranian missiles and support the defense of our allies,” Casey added.
Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler condemned the attack in a post on X, adding that his thoughts “are with the people of Israel at this time.”
