The United States launched about a dozen interceptors in response to a barrage of Iranian missiles fired at Israel on Tuesday, the Pentagon says.
US President Joe Biden said the US “strongly” supports Israel’s defense at his direction. He said he spent the morning in the Situation Room, the White House’s center for dealing with critical national security issues.
Israel’s military said about 180 missiles were fired at Israel, most of which were intercepted.
Iranian President Massoud Beseshkian defended the attack, saying it was a “decisive” response to “defend Iranian interests and citizens”.
At a Pentagon press conference on Tuesday, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said two U.S. Navy destroyers fired interceptors on missiles, all of which the U.S. believes were fired from Iran.
He did not confirm whether they had hit any of the Iranian missiles used in the attack – saying this information had yet to be determined.
Israel’s military said Iran fired about 180 missiles at Israel. It would be a barrage in April when Tehran fired about 110 ballistic missiles and 30 cruise missiles at Israel.
Maj. Gen. Ryder added that the Pentagon was not aware of any warning of an attack.
President Biden said the United States was in “full support” of Israel after Wednesday’s attack.
“Today, under my direction, the U.S. military actively supported Israel’s security, and we are still assessing its impact,” he said.
“But based on what we know now, the attack appears defeated and futile. And it’s a testament to Israeli military capability and the American military.”
Asked by reporters what Iran’s response would be, Biden said: “It’s under serious discussion right now. We’ll have to see.”
He said he would speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that his message would “depend on what we ultimately decide.”
The region is now in an even more intense cycle, precisely what Biden has been trying to avoid for months — keeping a near-continuous supply of arms to Israel in an effort to stave off the Gaza war, while engulfing the rest of the region.
Earlier, White House national security spokesman Jack Sullivan described Iran’s attack as a “significant escalation.”
He told reporters: “We have made it clear that this attack will have consequences, severe consequences, and we will work with Israel.”
Mr Sullivan did not specify what such consequences would be, but he did not insist on reining in Israel, as the US did after Iran’s attack in April.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington had tried to use both deterrence and diplomacy to expand the region.
Pressed by the BBC on whether it still takes this approach when working with the Israelis in responding to Iran, he said, of course – they always use both deterrence and diplomacy.
Iran’s armed forces warned against any direct military intervention in support of Israel.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that the attacks were in retaliation for Israel’s killing of a top IRGC commander and leaders of pro-Iran militias in the region.
It noted the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoshan in Lebanon last weekend.
It also mentions the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.
Although Israel has not admitted involvement in Haniya’s death, it is widely believed to be responsible.
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