US says it helped Israel thwart Iranian attack, reiterates ‘ironclad’ support | Israel attacks Lebanon news

The United States said it helped Israel thwart an Iranian ballistic missile attack. A senior White House official told reporters that the U.S. military “coordinated closely with its Israeli counterparts” to fire the projectiles.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that “U.S. Navy destroyers fired interceptors alongside Israeli air defense units to shoot down incoming missiles.”

“In short, based on what we know at this point, this attack appears to have been repelled and ineffective,” Sullivan said during a White House news conference.

“This was primarily the result of the professionalism of the (Israeli military). But not least because of the competent work of the US military and the careful joint planning in advance of the attack.”

Asked what Washington thought about possible Israeli retaliation, Sullivan said talks between senior U.S. and Israeli military and political leaders were continuing. “We want to have intensive consultations with the Israelis,” he said.

Sullivan later added: “We are proud of the actions we have taken together with Israel to protect and defend Israel.” We have made it clear that this attack will have consequences – serious consequences – and we will with it Israel must work together to make this happen.”

Analysts have warned for months that the failure of U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to agree to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip would plunge the Middle East into a regional war.

“A regional war will become inevitable if the United States continues to fund and support Netanyahu and all his war crimes, his genocide and his attacks on all his neighbors,” said Raed Jarrar, advocacy director at DAWN, a Washington think tank. Direct current.

“This won’t stop without the United States taking a stand and saying, ‘We will not send any more weapons to Israel.’ “We will not finance and support Israeli crimes,” Jarrar told Al Jazeera.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday evening in retaliation for killings of people in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as recent assassinations of Hamas, Hezbollah and IRGC leaders.

The shooting came just hours after the Israeli army said it had launched “limited” ground attacks in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah denied that Israeli forces had entered Lebanese territory.

The Israeli military, which has been waging war with Hezbollah across the Israel-Lebanon border for months, recently stepped up its attack on the country. Israeli attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs and other areas have killed and injured thousands of people in recent weeks.

As attacks and regional tensions increase, the Biden administration has repeatedly said it favors diplomacy and wants de-escalation.

However, critics have noted that the US government continues to offer Israel unwavering military and diplomatic support.

Washington provides Israel with at least $3.8 billion in military aid annually, and Biden has greenlit $14 billion in additional aid to the U.S. ally since the Gaza war began in October last year.

Earlier Tuesday, the White House said Biden had “directed the U.S. military to support Israel’s defense against Iranian attacks and to shoot down missiles targeting Israel.”

The Pentagon also said in a statement that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant discussed “the serious consequences for Iran if Iran decides to launch a direct military attack against Israel.”

The statement did not elaborate on what consequences this would have.

This morning, @VP and I have convened our national security team to discuss Iranian plans for an impending missile attack on Israel.

We discussed how the United States stands ready to help Israel repel these attacks and protect American personnel in the region.

– President Biden (@POTUS) October 1, 2024

A US State Department spokesman said Tuesday afternoon that the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s security remains “unwavering.”

“We will continue to stand with the people of Israel at this critical moment,” Matthew Miller told reporters.

But according to DAWN analyst Jarrar, the Biden administration’s “blank check” policy toward Israel is the reason for the current escalation.

“The Biden administration is dysfunctional and there is no one in the driver’s seat. There is no leadership at all,” he said.

“This administration is completely lacking. They give Israel 100 percent of what it wants in weapons and money, and they can put 0 percent pressure on Israel. Netanyahu gets everything he wants, but he doesn’t have to pay a price for anything.

“What we have seen today is a result of this failed U.S. leadership in the Middle East and North Africa. The region has officially entered an all-out regional war.”