President Joe Biden curtailed his weekend trip to Delaware, returning to the White House to oversee the developing crisis in the Middle East, particularly concerning a potential Iranian attack on Israel. Anticipating hostile actions from Iran, Biden aimed to consult with his national security team urgently. He emphasized the U.S.’s steadfast commitment to Israel’s defense in response to Iran’s threats of retaliation following an attack on its Damascus consulate, which the U.S. and others attribute to Israel.
News of multiple drones, heading to Israel from Iran, have been spotted and are being monitored. They reportedly will take a few hours to reach Israel.
Israel has closed all schools and canceled public gatherings, among other things, in preparation for an attack.
This attack resulted in the deaths of seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
BREAKING: Iran launches attack against Israel using dozens of drones, four U.S. and Israeli officials told me
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 13, 2024
During these tensions, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant discussed the situation, with Austin affirming unwavering U.S. support for Israel. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also reiterated this solid commitment in discussions with his Israeli counterpart.
Adding to the regional tensions, Iran seized a Portuguese-flagged, British-owned vessel, the MSC Aries, claiming it belonged to an Israeli. The U.S. contested this claim, stating the ship was British-owned and operated by a diverse international crew. The National Security Council, through spokesperson Adrienne Watson, condemned the seizure as an act of piracy and a violation of international law, calling for the immediate release of the ship and its crew.
Iran had previously hinted at a non-escalatory response to the consulate attack but did not elaborate on what that would entail.
