Backlash coming for Iranian strike

President Joe Biden said the US was ‘fully supportive’ of Israel and he would discuss a response with PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

Joe Biden addresses the media at the White House on Tuesday. Picture: AFP

The US has warned Iran to expect “severe consequences” for a ballistic missile barrage on Israel that American officials said was “defeated” with the assistance of US warships.

President Joe Biden said the US was “fully supportive” of Israel after the missile attack and he would discuss a response with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective, and this is a testament to Israeli military capability and the US military,” Mr Biden said at the White House. “Make no mistake, the US is fully, fully, fully supportive of ­Israel.”

Asked what the response would be, Mr Biden replied: “That’s in active discussion right now. That remains to be seen.”

US Vice-President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris promised her “unwavering” commitment to the security of Israel.

“I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist militias,” Ms Harris said.

Japan’s new Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, on Wednesday said missile attacks by Iran on ­Israel were “unacceptable”, cautioning against an escalation into “full-on war”.

“Iran’s attack is unacceptable. We condemn this strongly. At the same time, we would like to co-­operate (with the US) to defuse the situation and prevent it from escalating into a full-on war,” Mr Ishiba said.

He made the comments after a phone call with Mr Biden following his appointment as prime minister on Tuesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned “in the strongest possible terms” Iran’s attacks against Israel, adding that France had “mobilised” its military resources in the Middle East to counter Tehran.

He also demanded that Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah “cease its terrorist actions against Israel and its population”, and asked Israel to “put an end to their military operations as soon as possible”, the Elysee Palace said in a statement, adding that France would “shortly be organising a conference in support of the Lebanese people and its institutions”.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the Iranian strikes and called for an end to the “spiral of violence” blighting the Middle East.

Keir Starmer makes a statement on the Middle East at 10 Downing Street. Picture: AFP

Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Madrid was issuing “a new call to all the actors, obviously including Israel, to show restraint and not escalation”.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock demanded Iran end its missile attack on Israel: “I condemn the ongoing attack in the strongest possible terms.”

“Iran must stop the attack immediately” as it was “leading the region further towards the abyss”, she added.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Iran’s attack “in the strongest terms”.

During a call with his Israeli counterpart, Sir Keir also “expressed the UK’s steadfast commitment to Israeli security and the protection of ­civilians.”

Israel vowed to retaliate in the wake of Iran’s attack.

“This attack will have consequences. We have plans, and we will operate at the place and time we decide,” said military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.

Hamas, whose October 7 attack sparked the war in Gaza, praised Iran’s attack on Israel. The Palestinian Islamist group said the attack was retaliation for killings including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Hamas “blesses the heroic rocket launches carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran against wide areas of our occupied lands”, it said, adding it was “in revenge for the blood of our heroic martyrs”.

Speaking earlier to reporters, Jake Sullivan, Mr Biden’s National Security Adviser, said the missile attack was a “significant escalation” by Iran and “there will be … severe consequences.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Iran’s missile attack was “unacceptable” and the entire world should condemn it.

“Israel, with the active support of the US and other partners, effectively defeated this attack,” he said.

A Pentagon spokesman said Iran launched about twice as many ballistic missiles on Tuesday as it did in its previous direct attack on Israel earlier this year.

“Initial reports indicate that ­Israel was able to intercept the ­majority of incoming missiles and that there was minimal damage on the ground,” Pat Ryder said.

Major General Ryder said two US destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors as part of the defensive effort.

Tuesday’s missile attack came roughly one month ahead of Nov­ember’s US presidential election, and Republican candidate Donald Trump seized upon it to criticise his Democratic opponent, Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Speaking at a campaign event in Waunakee, Wisconsin, Mr Trump said if he was in the White House, “today’s attack on Israel never would have happened.”

Under Mr Trump’s administration, the former president claimed, “we had no war in the Middle East, we had no war in Europe, we had harmony in Asia”.

AFP