New proof of the concern reigning in Washington. The United States announced Friday the sending of reinforcements to the Middle East as fears intensify in the region of seeing a response from Iran against Israel, accused of a deadly strike against the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
“We are deploying additional assets in the region to strengthen regional deterrence efforts and strengthen the protection of American forces,” said a US defense official on condition of anonymity, without specifying the nature of these reinforcements.
Joe Biden explained Friday that he expected Iran to take action “soon,” in response to a question about Iranian threats of retaliation against Israel. “I do not want to give confidential information but I expect it to be soon,” alerted the American president, who also responded to a question about the message he wanted to send to Tehran: “Don’t Don’t do it! »
Iran “threatens to launch a major attack against Israel,” the Democrat had already warned on Wednesday during a press conference at the White House. “As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu, our commitment to the security of Israel, in the face of these threats from Iran and its allies, is unwavering,” he insisted.
“Credible” threats
The threats of an Iranian attack against Israel are “credible” and “real,” a White House spokesperson confirmed on Friday, who did not want to give more details on the timing or the targets. President Joe Biden “has been informed on multiple occasions by his national security team” and the United States intends “to do everything possible to ensure that Israel can defend itself,” also declared John Kirby, spokesperson. word from the White House. “It would be unwise not to assess our own posture in the region, to ensure that we too are adequately prepared. »
Here too, John Kirby did not give details on possible movements of American forces in the region.
The risks of the ongoing conflict in Gaza spilling over have increased with Iran's threats against Israel, accused of a strike which destroyed its consulate in Damascus on April 1 and, according to an NGO, killed 16 people, including two generals of the Revolutionary Guards, Iran's ideological army. Sworn enemy of Israel and ally of Hamas, Iran threatened to “punish” Israel after the destruction of its consulate.