US helps Israel shoot down ‘nearly all’ Iran-launched attack drones

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden praised U.S. forces that helped Israel shoot down “nearly all” of the drones and missiles fired by Iran and pledged to coordinate a global response to the unprecedented attack from Tehran. The Pentagon said US forces intercepted “dozens of missiles” and drones launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen and heading towards Israel.

With regional tensions at their highest level since the war between Israel and Hamas began six months ago, Biden pledged Saturday that U.S. support for Israel’s defense against attacks from Iran and of his agents was “ironclad”. It was the first time Iran launched a direct military attack against Israel, risking a wider regional conflict.

Biden made clear during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would not participate in any offensive action against Iran, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to publicly discuss the private conversation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The United States and Israel had been preparing for an attack for days after Iran announced it would retaliate for a suspected Israeli strike this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed 12 people, including two generals Iranians from the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards.

“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 evening. “Through these deployments and the extraordinary skills of our military, we helped Israel destroy almost every incoming drone and missile. »

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the United States had stopped dozens of attacks, but did not provide details on the ships or aircraft involved in the operation that commanders were being prepared over the past two weeks.

“Our forces remain positioned to protect U.S. troops and partners in the region, provide additional support to Israel’s defense, and strengthen regional stability,” Austin said, adding that the troops were prepared to prevent further conflict.

Biden had cut short a weekend at his Delaware beach house to meet with his national security team at the White House, returning to Washington minutes before Israeli officials confirmed they had detected drones launched toward their territory from Iran.

He convened a meeting of National Security Council leaders in the White House Situation Room to discuss developments, the White House said, before speaking with Netanyahu.

“I told him that Israel had 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,” he said. Biden said.

Biden added that he would convene a meeting of the Group of Seven advanced democracies on Sunday “to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.”

The Pentagon reported that Austin spoke twice with his Israeli counterpart to praise “the extraordinary defensive measures and strong cooperation undertaken to defeat this Iranian attack on Israel” and again clearly stated that “Israel could count on the full support of the United States to defend Israel against any future.” attacks by Iran and its regional proxies. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also spoke with his counterpart to reinforce Washington’s “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.”

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement that “Iran has launched an airborne attack against Israel.” She added: “The United States will stand with the Israeli people and support their defense against these Iranian threats. »

Biden said Friday that the United States was “dedicated” to Israel’s defense and that “Iran will not succeed.” Asked by reporters what his message was for Iran, the president’s only response was: “Don’t do it.”

He ignored the question of what would trigger a direct US military response.

The United States and its allies have sent direct messages to Tehran warning of a further escalation of the conflict.

During the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, there have been near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group along the Israel-Lebanon border. U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria against U.S. forces in those countries since the war began on Oct. 7.

At the end of January, an attack killed three American soldiers in Jordan. In retaliation, the United States launched a massive air attack, hitting more than 85 targets across seven locations in Iraq and Syria.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guards rappelled from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel.

Watson, the NSC spokesperson, said the United States strongly condemns the seizure and urges Iran to immediately release the ship and its crew.

“We will work with our partners to hold Iran accountable for its actions,” she said.

Also on Saturday, the Israeli-occupied West Bank also saw some of the worst violence since Hamas’ attack on Israel.

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Price reported from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Mike Balsamo in New York contributed to this report.