WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Friday he was expecting Iran will attack Israel he reiterated that the United States would support and defend Israel should such an attack occur soon.
a White House Asked by reporters how imminent an Iranian attack might be, Biden declined to discuss “secure information” but said the expectation was “sooner than later.”
Biden answered “don’t” to the question “what is the message to Iran”.
“We are committed to Israel’s defense. We will support Israel, help Israel’s defense, and Iran will not succeed,” he said.
Earlier in the day, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that US officials are in “constant communication” with their Israeli counterparts to “make sure they can defend themselves against these types of attacks.”
“We believe it’s still life threatening,” Kirby said. “We are doing our best so that Israel can defend itself.”
Iran accused Israel of attacking its consulate in Damascus on April 1. Israeli officials said it was a building disguised as a diplomatic mission and used by the Quds forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Iranian officials, including the country’s supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, they promised to take revenge. In response, Israel threatened If Iran is attacked, strike it directly.
The U.S. military is moving in the Middle East and near Israel ahead of possible Iranian retaliatory strikes, three U.S. officials said. Officials said most of the assets involved have already been deployed and are moving to better position themselves to defend Israeli and US assets in the region should the US need to respond to whatever Iran does.
NBC News informed Iran’s attack on Israel last week may have targeted military or intelligence targets rather than civilians, two US officials said.
Gael Fobes, Mosheh Wins and Courtney Kube contributed.