Biden cuts trip short as Iran launches drones and missiles towards Israel

President Joe Biden cut a weekend trip short and returned to the White House as reports indicate Iran launched dozens of drones towards Israel set to arrive in a matter of hours.

Mr Biden was set to spend the weekend in his home state of Delaware but is now returning to Washington, DC on Saturday afternoon to meet with his national security team. His departure was announced just hours before the IDF detected Iran’s attacks.

Meanwhile, the US has pledged to help protect Israel. The US military has shot down drone aircraft, Reuters reports, citing three American officials. Meanwhile, Israeli media outlet Channel 12 reported that American and British warplanes shot down some drones over the Iraq-Syria border region.

“Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel,” National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Saturday. “President Biden is being regularly updated on the situation by his national security team and will meet with them this afternoon at the White House.”

“President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel’s security is ironclad,” Ms Watson continued. “The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”

The reported drone launch comes after a suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria on 1 April. The strike killed 12 people. Such an attack could further heighten tensions and violence in the area. Just hours before their airstrike, Iran also captured an Israel-linked cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, further indicating an attack was imminent.

“Our defensive systems are deployed; we are ready for any scenario, both defensively and offensively,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday