Pentagon reported that the US launched over a dozen interceptors on Tuesday in response to Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Israel. US President Joe Biden approved this military operation after the US intercepted Iranian missiles. In the morning, Biden monitored the situation from the White House Situation Room, where officials discuss national security issues.
The Israeli military reported that approximately 180 missiles launched toward Israel, with the majority intercepted before causing any damage. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called the missile attack a decisive reaction to safeguard Iranian civilians. Major General Patrick Ryder told a Pentagon news briefing that two US Navy vessels stopped Iranian missiles.
The exact number of Iranian missiles hit is unknown. However, Ryder did say that the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Iran fired 110 ballistic and 30 cruise missiles toward Israel, a stronger onslaught than in April. According to Ryder, the Pentagon was unaware of this missile strike.
President Biden reaffirmed the United States unwavering support for Israel after the assault, asserting that the military actively participated in defense operations while the US intercepted Iranian missiles. He also said preliminary investigations showed that the strike was mostly ineffectual, displaying Israeli and US military capabilities. When questioned about potential responses to Iran, Biden stated that discussions were still in progress.
Biden has been striving to mitigate the Gaza war’s broader implications, but the conflict in the region is intensifying, presenting him with substantial obstacles. Jake Sullivan, the National Security Spokesman, described Iran’s missile attack as a significant escalation and predicted that there would be severe repercussions. He emphasized the importance of collaborating with Israel to address this attack, which represents a departure from the previous call for restraint in response to earlier incidents. Iran’s military warned against direct military engagement in support of Israel, citing Israel’s actions against Iranian leadership.
