Watch: US defence secretary and Joint Chiefs of Staff chair grilled on global conflicts

Watch live as defence secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen Charles Q Brown Jr, and defence comptroller Mike McCord were grilled on global conflicts before the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, 17 April.

The officials were expected to be questioned on conflicts between Israel and Gaza and Russia and Ukraine, as well as Iran’s attack on Israel.

It comes after Joe Biden warned Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would not take part in a counterattack against Iran after it launched 330 drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles at Israel.

The US urged Israel not to retaliate after Saturday’s strikes, almost all of which were shot down, which came after Israel struck the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus, Syria, killing several top military officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Israel has vowed it will “exact a price” for the attack.