House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called on President Biden to release weapons to Israel after a suspected rocket attack injured several U.S. service members at Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq.
“After repeated attacks on American troops in the region, and while Israel is under threat from Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, the United States cannot hesitate to defend our military and our ally,” Johnson said in a statement on Tuesday. fair.
He added that any attack by Iran against Israel or the US must be “met with decisive force,” with the US and its allies in the region working to “strongly counter Iran and its terrorist proxies to send a clear message against these evil activities. ”
“We know that the current Iranian aggression, supported by Chinese and Russian interests, comes after a months-long pressure campaign against Israel by the Biden-Harris administration. Now is the time for the White House to realize that its choices have brought us to the brink of disaster and give Israel its full support,” Johnson continued.
“President Biden must immediately release all previously withheld and delayed weapons to Israel – so that it can defend its people and deter Iran – and make clear that there will be decisive economic, military and international ramifications if Iran engages in or supports any attacks. .” Johnson said.
A Defense Department spokesman did not immediately say who was behind the rocket attack, but Iranian-backed militants have made threats against U.S. forces there.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Biden of sending a “drip” of military munitions to Israel, the State Department has previously said it is delivering weapons to Israel under normal processes, in a change from a status of “fast track” in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said there had been no change in policy when asked by The Hill last month whether the government would return to using fast-tracking weapons.
Biden exercised the option to withholding weapons deliveries, halting the deployment of heavy bombs due to concerns about the destruction being caused in the Gaza Strip. But those shipments resumed last month.
And even as Biden has been frustrated by Netanyahu’s progress in the military operation against Hamas due to efforts to secure a ceasefire, the administration has directed significant military assets to the Middle East in recent days to bolster defenses against a possible Hamas attack. Iran.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Johnson’s statement.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
