“We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” Biden said.
It was on the 12th of April, 2024, when President Biden, the 81-year-old leader of the free world, startled the international community with his stern warning to Iran. In the heart of Washington, adjacent to the West Wing, he stood in what many critics have termed as the “fake” White House and delivered words that would reverberate across continents. His message to Iran was simple yet potent, “Don’t” attack Israel. This single-worded caution was in response to the escalating tensions between the two Middle Eastern Nations.
When probed about the imminence of an attack on Israel, Biden, following his address to Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, expressed his anticipation for a possible strike “sooner than later”. The White House, however, refrained from disclosing any detailed response plan to Iran’s threats, which were deemed “very credible”. This silence has fueled apprehensions about a potential wider war in the Middle East.
John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, acknowledged Tehran’s warnings against the Jewish state as “viable”. However, he chose not to reveal Washington’s plan of action in case of an attack. “We are certainly mindful of a very public and what we consider to be a very credible threat made by Iran in terms of potential attacks on Israel,” Kirby stated while assuring the media about their constant communication with Israeli counterparts.
The Iranian authorities have clarified that any attack from their side would be a retaliation to Israel’s April 1 strike near the Iranian Embassy in Damascus. This strike led to the death of Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who oversaw paramilitary operations in Syria and Lebanon, and at least six other Iranian militants. Zahedi’s death marked the highest-ranking Iranian military official to be killed since the January 2020 US assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.
When asked about the possible US response to an Iranian strike on Israel, Pentagon’s press secretary, Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, chose to stay mum. He refrained from discussing “hypotheticals” while emphasizing the close monitoring of the situation. “I don’t have a crystal ball and I’m not going to get into specific intelligence,” he stated.
Rich Goldberg, the former official in charge of countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction in the Trump White House, revealed the cooperation between US Central Command and the Israel Defense Forces to prevent any Iranian drones or missiles from reaching Israeli territory. “My understanding through sources in both countries is that the cooperation between US Central Command and the Israel Defense Forces right now is at a maximalist, unprecedented level,” Goldberg said.
Goldberg also expressed his doubts about Israel seeking US assistance in case of a retaliatory need. “Israel has never asked the United States to fight on its behalf or to intervene on its behalf and I would be shocked to learn that it has done so,” he stated. However, he did not dismiss the possibility of the Pentagon aiding Israel in shooting down an incoming missile, should the need arise.
Tehran has reportedly warned its allies of attacking American military bases if Washington interferes in the battle between Iran and Israel, Axios reported Friday. An unnamed US official quoted Iran’s message as, “we will attack the forces that attack us, so don’t f-k with us and we won’t f-k with you”. This has led to speculation about a larger military conflict in the region.
