US Clarifies Position on Israel’s Strike Against Iran

Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the recent Israeli strike on Iran, emphasizing that the United States is “not involved” in the operations. He stated, “Tonight, Israel took a one-sided action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our number one priority is to protect the US troops in the region. Israel advised us that we believe this action is necessary for self-defense.”

Rubio assured that President Trump and his administration “have taken all the necessary steps to protect it.” He reiterated, “President Trump and the administration have taken all the necessary steps to protect our troops and to stay in close contact with our local partners.” Furthermore, he made it clear that “Iran should not target our interests or personnel.”

His remarks follow reports indicating that Israel had conducted a strike against Iranian targets. In a video shared online, Brigadier General Effy Deflin emphasized that intelligence has showed Iran is closer than ever to possessing nuclear weapons.

Deflin explained that “this morning,” the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) executed a “preemptive and accurate strike,” specifically targeting Iran’s nuclear program. He added, “For many years, the Iranian regime has called for the destruction of the Israeli state, and has planned and advanced concrete military plans to do so. Over the past few months, intelligence has shown that Iran is closer than ever to obtaining nuclear weapons. This morning, the IDF has launched a preemptive and accurate strike targeting Iran’s nuclear program to prevent the Iranian regime’s ability to quickly build nuclear bombs in that timeframe.”

Recently, Trump indicated that he preferred to reach a deal with Iran regarding its nuclear ambitions rather than see Israel initiate an attack. During a conversation with Fox News reporter Peter Doucy, Trump was asked if Netanyahu sought to discuss potential attack options against Iran. Trump replied, “Yeah, that’s a very fair question. Look, I want to agree with Iran… we’re pretty close to a pretty good agreement.”

Additionally, it has been reported that the US evacuated diplomatic staff from its embassy in Iraq, and families of diplomats in Bahrain are also being allowed to leave for safety reasons.