Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) called for retaliatory strikes against Iran after the Iranian government launched drone and cruise missile attacks against Israel on Saturday.
“Iran has launched a drone attack on Israel,” Blackburn said on social media platforms on Saturday. X. “@POTUS — We must act quickly and launch aggressive retaliatory strikes against Iran.”
Mr. Blackburn’s post gives a sense of the pressure President Biden may face from some Republicans in Congress amid concerns about broader regional wars.
IDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari said a “direct attack” from Iran would constitute a “serious and dangerous escalation.”
“Our defense and offensive capabilities are at the highest level of readiness in the event of a major attack from Iran,” he said in a video address posted Saturday. “This is a mission we are determined and ready to fulfill.”
The Israel Defense Forces said Israel was on high alert and its forces were “constantly monitoring” developments. According to the IDF, naval ships and fighter jets are on a defensive mission. Air defense forces are also on high alert.
NSC spokesperson Adrian Watson said the Iranian attack “will likely unfold over several hours.” The airstrike had been expected for several days after the Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria, on April 1. Two senior members of Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) were killed in an attack in early April.
The NSC said President Biden is receiving regular updates on the ongoing situation. The White House added at noon Saturday that he was scheduled to return to the White House on Saturday to meet with his national security team in light of the situation in Iran.
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