WASHINGTON – The United States on Sunday highlighted its role in helping Israel thwart Iran’s airstrike, while President Joe Biden brought together the leaders of Group of Seven countries in an effort to avoid a broader regional escalation and coordinate a global rebuke of Tehran. .
The US helped Israel shoot down dozens of drones and missiles fired by Iran on Saturday, in what was the first time it launched a direct military strike against Israel. Israeli authorities said that 99% of the weapons that arrived were shot down without causing any significant damage.
US officials stated that, despite the high rate of interceptions, Iran’s intention was to “destroy and cause casualties” and that, if successful, the attacks would have caused an “uncontrollable” escalation throughout the Middle East. U.S. officials said Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an effort to quell tensions that Washington would not take part in any offensive action against Iran, and the president made it “very clear” to Netanyahu “that we have to think carefully and strategically.” ”On the risks of climbing.
The push to encourage Israel to show restraint reflected ongoing American efforts to deescalate Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which is now in its seventh month, and to do more to protect civilian lives in the territory.
While the US and its allies prepared for days for such an attack, the launches were at the “high point” of what was anticipated, according to the officials, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
At one point, at least 100 Iranian ballistic missiles were in the air simultaneously, just minutes into the flight to Israel, officials said. Biden and senior officials monitored the shooting and intercept attempts in real time from the White House Situation Room. Officials said there was “relief” in the room when they saw the missile defense efforts were successful.
The Pentagon said US Central Command and European Command forces destroyed more than 80 attack drones and at least six ballistic missiles intended to attack Israel from Iran and Yemen.
“At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military has moved ballistic missile defense aircraft and destroyers to the region over the past week,” Biden said in a statement Saturday night. “Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our military, we helped Israel shoot down almost every incoming drone and missile.”
Administration officials said the appeal demonstrated that despite disagreements over the war in Gaza, the U.S. commitment to Israel’s defense was “steadfast” and that the U.S. would resume a similar effort if necessary.
Officials rejected the notion that Iran intentionally gave Israel and the United States time to prepare for an attack, but said they took the time Iran needed before it was ready to launch the attack to prepare its response. Officials said Iran communicated to the U.S. as the attack unfolded Saturday night that what was seen was the entirety of its response. The message was sent through the Swiss government, as the two countries do not maintain direct diplomatic relations.
Biden, in a Saturday night phone conversation with Netanyahu, urged Israel to claim victory for its defense prowess, while the president aimed to persuade the US’ closest ally in the Middle East not to launch a major retaliatory attack against Iran, authorities said.
“I told him that Israel has demonstrated a remarkable ability to defend itself and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its enemies that they cannot effectively threaten Israel’s security,” Biden said in his statement after the call .
Biden had a call Sunday with King Abdullah II of Jordan in which the king said any “escalation measures” by Israel would lead to a broader conflict in the region, according to the Royal Court. The White House said the situation in Gaza was discussed and leaders reaffirmed their cooperation “to find a path to end the crisis as quickly as possible.”
The president also spoke with some of the US forces involved in shooting down Iranian drones.
Later on Sunday, Biden spoke with House and Senate leaders, emphasizing the urgent need for the House to approve additional wartime funding for Israel and Ukraine.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Sunday with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to emphasize the “importance of avoiding escalation and coordinating a diplomatic response,” a department spokesperson said.
Following the G7 video conference on Sunday, the leaders issued a joint statement “unequivocally condemning in the strongest terms” Iran’s direct attack, while expressing “our full solidarity and support for Israel” and reaffirming “our commitment to your safety.”
The group of advanced democracies – the USA, Italy, Japan, Germany, France, Great Britain and Canada – also said that Iran, “through its actions, has taken a further step towards destabilizing the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation”. They said their nations “stand ready to take further action now and in response to new destabilizing initiatives.”
A senior U.S. government official said some of the countries have discussed listing Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization and unblocking new sanctions against Tehran, although no final decision has been made.
The Israel-Hamas war was referenced in the G7 statement, with the leaders saying they will strengthen “our cooperation to end the crisis in Gaza, including continuing work towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages by the Hamas, and deliver increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need.”
The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the attack. “Now is the time to calm and de-escalate,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Now is the time for maximum restraint.”
Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the attack “an unprecedented escalation,” while Iranian Ambassador Saeid Iravani said, “Iran’s operation consisted entirely of the exercise of Iran’s inherent right to self-defense.”
After the meeting ended without any action from the Council, US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood said: “There must be a response from the Security Council to what happened last night.”
The US and Israel had been preparing for an attack for days after Iran said it would retaliate for a suspected Israeli attack this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals from Iran’s elite Quds Force. Revolutionary Guard.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, criticized the White House for “leaking to the press” that Biden told Netanyahu to win and not retaliate.
Rubio told CNN’s “State of the Union” that this was “part of the White House’s efforts to appease” people calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
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AP Writer Michael Weissenstein of the United Nations contributed.
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