The White House vowed that Iran would endure “severe consequences” following its missile attacks against Israel, though specifics on what those repercussions might entail were not disclosed.
The United States played a role in aiding Israel’s defense against approximately 180 missiles fired by Tehran, according to national security adviser Jake Sullivan. The Pentagon confirmed that American naval forces, including the USS Cole and USS Bulkeley, had launched about a dozen interceptors to neutralize the Iranian missiles.
“This attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective,” Sullivan assured.
“We are proud of the actions that we’ve taken alongside Israel to protect and defend Israel,” Sullivan continued. “We have made clear that there will be consequences — severe consequences — for this attack, and we will work with Israel to make that the case.”
Sullivan further remarked that Iran’s aggression on Tuesday represented a “significant escalation by Iran, a significant event, and it is equally significant that we were able to step up with Israel.”
By Tuesday afternoon, East Coast time, Israeli authorities reported that the missile barrage had resulted in one fatality, a Palestinian in Jericho, as well as two injuries.
“We are now going to look at what the appropriate next steps are to secure, first and foremost, American interests and then to promote stability to the maximum extent possible,” Sullivan explained, though he avoided offering details on what those steps would involve.
“We’ve had some initial discussions with the Israelis in the aftermath of this at the military level and also at the White House-Prime Minister’s Office levels,” he noted. “We’ll continue those conversations in the hours ahead.”
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also addressed the situation, reiterating that the Harris-Biden administration would work closely with Israel on any forthcoming responses to the attack.
“There must be consequences for Iran for this attack — we’ve made clear that there must be consequences,” Miller stated. “I’m not going to get into what those consequences are today, but there are things on which we will be coordinating with our Israeli counterparts.”
Reports circulating on Tuesday suggested that Israel intended to respond to the Iranian aggression with “powerful airstrikes throughout the Middle East.”
{Matzav.com}