THE United States (US) has warned Iran that it will take drastic action if American troops are targeted amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.
According to the Daily Mail, President Joe Biden‘s National Security Council (NSC) spokesman, John Kirby, reiterated that the US does not plan to get involved with counter-attacks against Iran on behalf of ally, Israel, but will continue to help defend the Jewish nation, warning that the US has communicated to Iran, ‘what we would do’ if American troops or facilities are targeted amid rising conflict in the Middle East.
Amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas terrorists in Gaza, some Republican lawmakers are not pleased with the Biden administration response so far with the escalating conflict and want a direct response to the attacks last night from Iran and its proxies.
“The President has made it clear: We do not seek a war with Iran. We don’t seek a wider war in the region,” Kirby told NBC host, Kristen Welker, on Sunday morning.
When pressed by the ‘Meet the Press’ host on whether Biden has ruled out a direct attack against Iran, Kirby reiterated: “We don’t seek a war with Iran.”
While confirming that there have been no attacks on US troops, personnel or facilities in the region so far, Kirby claimed the White House has warned Iran against taking such action after Tehran said it would target US forces if they help Israel launch counter-attacks.
He reiterated: “We are staying vigilant to exactly that potential threat, but we have not seen any attacks on US troops or personnel in the region or our facilities and nothing to report to this morning.
“But we’re going to obviously watch that very, very closely.
“I would just say we made it very clear to all parties, including Iran, what we would do, and how we would continue to defend Israel, and also how seriously we would take any potential threat to our personnel and our facilities in the region.”
The Israel Defence Force (IDF) had reported that Iran launched over 200 drones and missiles at Israel since Saturday night, the vast majority of which were intercepted outside Israel’s airspace.
But a small number of the dozens of ground-to-ground Iranian missiles struck inside the country, wounding a girl and causing damage to a military installation in the south, armed forces spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said on Sunday.
Iran said the attacks were in response to a drone strike early this month in Syria that left 12 Iranians dead, including two top generals, for which it blamed Israel.
Biden and Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, have repeatedly said the US will continue to assist Israel defend itself against Iranian attacks, but have said Washington will not get involved in counter-attacks.
Biden had to cut short his beach weekend at his vacation house in Rehoboth, Delaware, to address the rising conflict. He had arrived at the beach on Friday, April 12, but returned to Washington D.C. just 21 hours later to gather with his national security and defence teams.
The White House has restated that Israel was not seeking ‘significant escalation’ with Iran, despite concerns of counter strikes.
A senior US official had claimed that Tehran did not give Washington, D.C. a heads up that it would conduct attacks on Israel.
“I would not characterise it as if Iran gave us the time to prepare,” the official said during a call with reporters on Sunday, adding: “Their intent was clearly to be highly, highly destructive. And that is in their public rhetoric, and I think it’s borne out by what they tried to do last night.
“They said that Iran needed time to prepare for the attack and the U.S. ‘used the time wisely to prepare’ for defense.”
But Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said the country informed the US of its impending attack and gave a 72-hour warning to neighbouring countries in the Middle East.
“We announced… to the White House in a message that our operations will be limited, minimal and will be aimed at punishing the Israeli regime,” Amir-Abdollahian said on Sunday.
Most of the over 300 missiles, drones and other strikes barraged into Israel were intercepted and shot down before reaching its airspace.
Before the strike, Iran had warned the US against getting involved with the conflict and said it would target American troops if it did. Details of a call between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, revealed the US leader saying he would not get involved in counter strikes.
Amid concerns of retaliation, the US official on the press call on Sunday said Jerusalem also signaled it does not seek further conflict with Tehran, adding: “Israel’s made clear to us they’re not looking for a significant escalation with Iran. They said ‘that’s not what they’re looking for.’
“They’re looking to protect themselves and defend themselves.”
