US says helped Israel thwart Iranian aerial attack

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated on Tuesday that “US naval destroyers joined Israeli air defence units in firing interceptors to shoot down in-bound missiles”.

“In short, based on what we know at this point, this attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective,” Sullivan said during a news briefing at the White House.

“This was first and foremost the result of the professionalism of the [Israeli military]. But in no small part because of the skilled work of the US military and meticulous joint planning in anticipation of the attack.”

Asked what Washington’s view was on possible Israeli retaliation, Sullivan noted discussions were continuing between top US and Israeli military and political leaders. “We want to have some deep consultations with the Israelis,” he said.

Sullivan added later: “We are proud of the actions that we’ve taken alongside Israel to protect and defend Israel. We have made clear that there will be consequences — severe consequences — for this attack, and we will work with Israel to make that the case.”

Washington provides Israel with at least $3.8bn in military aid annually, and President Joe Biden has greenlit $14bn in additional assistance to the US ally since the Gaza war began in October of last year.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it fired missiles at Israel on Tuesday evening in retaliation for the killings of people in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the recent assassinations of Hamas, Hezbollah and IRGC leaders.

The IRGC said in a statement that it has targeted “the heart of the occupied territories” in response to the martyrdom of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC general Abbas Nilforoushan at the hands of the Zionist regime.

The statement noted the retaliatory attack has been launched after a period of self-restraint following the violation of Iran’s sovereignty.

The IRGC added it has fired tens of ballistic missiles at vital military and security Israeli targets.

It noted that 90 percent of the Iranian missiles fired at Israel have successfully hit the targets, including the “strategic centers” in the occupied territories.

In his first comments on the Iranian attack, Biden told reporters that his administration was in “active discussion” with Israel on its response.

“The attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective,” the US president said, adding that “the United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel”.

Earlier on Tuesday, the White House said that Biden had “directed the US military to aid Israel’s defense against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles that are targeting Israel”.

The Pentagon also announced in a statement that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant had discussed “the severe consequences for Iran in the event Iran chooses to launch a direct military attack against Israel”.

The statement did not elaborate on what those consequences would be.

Iran’s attack against Israel today was twice as large as Iran’s attack in April, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder stated Tuesday.

“[I]t’s about twice as large in terms of the number of ballistic missiles that they launched from the last,” he continued, adding that you “don’t launch that many missiles at a target without the intent of hitting something.”

“So absolutely, just like the last time their intent is to cause destruction.”

A spokesman for the US State Department said on Tuesday afternoon that the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s security remains “ironclad”.

“We will continue to stand with the people of Israel at this critical moment,” Matthew Miller told reporters.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also called the Iranian missile attack against Israel “totally unacceptable” and added that the “entire world should condemn it”.

Blinken said this attack included “some 200 ballistic missiles”, adding Israel “effectively defeated this attack”.