The Middle East has become a powder keg after Iran fired nearly 200 missiles at Israel on Wednesday, with the US vowing “grave consequences” for the action.
There were no immediate casualties in Israel, and U.S. officials said most of the missiles aimed at Israel and the U.S. Navy ships that took part in repelling the attack were shot down. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the raid “appears to have been a loss and was ineffective.”
The Iranian attack, which came amid Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, follows a nearly year-long conflict between the Israeli military and Tehran's main proxy, Lebanon's Hezbollah. I was disappointed. Hezbollah supports fellow proxies Hamas and Israel, both of which carry out cross-border attacks, to pave the way for displaced people to return to border areas.
But Israel has angered Iran in recent weeks by stepping up airstrikes across Lebanon and eliminating much of Hezbollah's chain of command, including leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Tehran responded with an airstrike on Tuesday, which Sullivan called a “serious escalation” and said the U.S. would work with Israel to ensure Iran faced “serious consequences.”
Here are five takeaways.
iranian attack
An attack by Iran was highly anticipated Monday night into Tuesday morning, with the White House warning that such an attack was imminent.
According to the Israeli military, it was determined that at around 7:30 p.m. local time, Iran fired a missile across Israel with sirens blaring.
Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. Pat Ryder said Israel was “able to intercept the majority of the incoming missiles,” and two U.S. Navy destroyers sent about a dozen interceptors to assist. The missile was fired, and “damage to the missile was minimal.” Israel's “ground”. Several people were reported injured, but no American soldiers were among them.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller later said U.S. partners were helping Israel and the U.S. government quell the attack. He declined to name the countries, telling reporters he would let them speak for themselves.
Miller also denied reports that the Iranian government had warned Washington of the attack shortly before it began.
The attack ended quickly, and Iran's mission to the United Nations said: Social platform It ended around 8pm.
According to the newspaper's post, “Iran's legal, rational, and just response to the Zionist regime's terrorist acts targeting Iranian people and interests and violating the national sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran was carried out appropriately.'' I'm here. The Iranian government warned that “further acts of malicious intent” from Israel would require a “subsequent overwhelming response.”
The Iranian government last launched a major attack on Israel in April, launching around 300 drones and missiles into the country. This attack was also largely shot down by Israeli defense systems supported by the United States and its allies.
Israel vows revenge
Immediately after the attack ended, Israel vowed to retaliate, with IDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari declaring that “the attack will have consequences.”
“We have a plan. We will act at a time and place of our choosing,” Hagari said in a public video statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said Iran would “pay” for the missiles fired against his country.
“Tonight, Iran made a big mistake, and Iran will pay the price,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a security cabinet meeting. “The Tehran regime does not understand our determination to protect ourselves and pay the price from our enemies.”
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also said Israel should quickly attack Iran's nuclear program to eliminate Tehran's “terrible threat” to the Middle East.
He said Israel now has the “biggest opportunity to change the face of the Middle East in 50 years” and “hit the terrorist octopus on the head while its tentacles are temporarily paralyzed.” pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu to attack Iranian energy facilities. ”
Israel has already launched a limited ground operation in Lebanon to search for Hezbollah's supreme leader. In his speech, Prime Minister Netanyahu promised to pursue all of Israel's enemies.
“Israel has momentum and the axis of evil is retreating. We will do whatever it takes to continue this trend,” he said.
US reaction
The US appears keen to calm tensions in the region following the attack, although it has stressed that Iran's actions will have “serious consequences”.
“Obviously, this is a significant escalation by Iran, an important event, and as far as we know, we were able to work with Israel and create a situation where this attack in Israel resulted in no fatalities. “is just as important at this point,” Sullivan told reporters.
He added: “We will consider what the appropriate next steps are to ensure America's interests first and foremost, and then to promote the greatest degree of stability possible as we move forward.'' ” he added.
President Biden echoed Sullivan's comments, blaming the “defeated and ineffective” attack on Israeli military strength, the U.S. military, and “intensive planning” between Washington and Israel, calling for the administration's steadfast commitment to its allies. He emphasized his support.
Vice President Harris, who was watching the attack unfold with Biden in the White House Situation Room, “unequivocally” condemned the attack, calling it “reckless and brazen.”
She also assured that Israel will always be able to defend itself and that “our commitment to Israel's security is unwavering.”
Outside the administration, U.S. lawmakers, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (RS.C.), called for swift action.
“This missile attack on Israel should be a breaking point, and I call on the Biden administration to coordinate an overwhelming response with Israel, starting with Iran's oil refining capabilities,” Graham said in a statement. said.
And Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) wrote to X that Iran “made a mistake” and “placed its nuclear facilities before the committee in an unbiased manner.”
Trump splits Biden and Harris
Former President Trump quickly took to social media to condemn the attack by the Biden administration, insisting that the incident did not occur on his watch.
“Look at the world today. Look at the missiles flying over the Middle East right now. Look at what's happening in Russia/Ukraine. Look at the inflation destroying the world. I Nothing like this happened while he was president!'' he wrote in a post on Truth Social.
In a statement released shortly afterward, he accused Biden and Harris of a lack of leadership and claimed that “Iran was in complete check” when he was in the White House.
“The world is on fire and out of control,” President Trump said. “We have a non-existent President in Joe Biden and a completely absent Vice President, Kamala Harris, who has been busy fundraising and posing for fake photos in San Francisco, which she and Gavin Newscam have thoroughly destroyed.” There is.”
Harris was in Washington at the time of the attack and had no campaign plans on Tuesday.
Later, during a speech at a campaign event in Waunakee, Wisconsin, Trump repeated the apocalyptic phrase.
“I've been talking about World War III for a long time. I don't want to make predictions, because predictions always come true, but it's very close to a global catastrophe,” he said. spoke.
He later said the Iranian attack happened because other countries “no longer respect our country,” using an oft-repeated line of attack against Biden and Harris, arguing that they are weak on foreign policy. and suggested that this would lead to further world conflict.
Ceasefire talks break down
Following Tuesday's events, the Biden administration may now have difficulty brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The U.S. government has been trying for months to force Israel and Hamas to reach a deal to end the devastating war in Gaza, but last week the scramble to secure an agreement between Israel and Hezbollah to cease fighting ended. It ended in failure.
At the time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that diplomacy was the best option to “avoid a full-scale war” in the region.
But Israel instead pressed on, ignoring U.S. efforts, knowing that Hezbollah was at a disadvantage in wiping out many of its leaders.
Unless the conflict is quickly ended diplomatically, the U.S. military has significant assets in the Middle East, including carrier strike groups, guided missile submarines, additional naval ships, and fighter jets. On Monday, the Pentagon announced it would send more troops and aircraft to the region.
Meanwhile, several U.S. lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (R-Vt.), still called for a cease-fire agreement, saying the leaders of both Israel and Iran “wanted to escalate tensions rather than pursue a diplomatic solution.” For several months, I chose to raise my standards. ”
“They have brought us to the brink of a broader and more devastating war, and the United States must now forcefully demand an end to hostilities,” he said in a statement. “A ceasefire regarding hostages remains key to resolving the broader conflict. It would halt the escalating cycle, end bombing and rocket attacks, and allow displaced people to return home sooner.” I guess.”
