White House says Biden will ensure ‘severe consequences’ for Iran after Israel rocket attack

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the US will work closely with Israeli officials to determine what the response would be to nearly 200 missile attacks aimed at Israel on Tuesday, while declaring that there would be “severe consequences” for the strike.

At a White House press briefing that took place minutes after the last blasts ended in Tel Aviv, Sullivan said that Iran’s latest strike marked a serious escalation of the conflict which Hamas touched off with the October 7 terror attacks — one that has expanded into Lebanon and is now threatening to engulf much of the Middle East.

Sullivan added that there have been conversations between the White House and Israeli prime minister’s office in the immediate wake of the attacks, though he did not read out any plans for a call between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“This is a fluid situation. We will consult with the Israelis on next steps in terms of the response and how to deal with what Iran has just done, and we will continue to monitor for further threats and attacks from Iran and its proxies,” he said. “We are particularly focused on protecting US service members in the region.”

He credited the “professionalism of the IDF” and “meticulous joint planning in anticipation of the attack” for initial reports indicating that no deaths had resulted from the attack.

Sullivan also revealed that American Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers which President Biden had ordered to the region assisted in the missile defense effort. The US-built ships are equipped with the Aegis Combat System, which uses advanced radar to direct interceptors that are used to target ballistic missiles and other incoming fire.

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