America's Key Role In Countering Iran's Attack On Israel | Explained

Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated since Hamas' deadly attack on 7 October. Over the weekend, a retaliatory attack on Israel was launched by Iran, sparking a regional conflict involving US military forces.

The attack, which involved over 300 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, marked Iran's first direct military attack on a West Asian country.

Photo Credit: PTI

The incident concluded a tense two-week period during which whirlwind efforts were made by Washington to prepare for the expected violence, after Tehran was repeatedly threatened to hit back in response to an Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus that killed two top officers at the beginning of the month, as reported by First Post.

Swift action was taken by the US military, destroying four to six ballistic missiles and shooting down around 70 Iranian drones, with close monitoring of the situation by US President Joe Biden.

Here's how Iran's attack on Israel was countered by Washington

Iranian Attack on Israel and US Response

An Iranian barrage of more than 100 medium-range ballistic missiles, over 30 land-attack cruise missiles, and more than 150 attack drones was launched at Israel, according to a senior US military official.

Between four and six ballistic missiles were destroyed by two American warships - the USS Arleigh Burke and the USS Carney - while over 70 Iranian drones were shot down by US aircraft, as reported by the military official.

Additionally, a ballistic missile targeting Israel in the vicinity of the northern Iraqi city of Arbil was intercepted by a Patriot missile battery.

President Joe Biden spent Saturday evening receiving real-time updates in the White House Situation Room as the attack unfolded.

The tense atmosphere during the attack was described by a senior administration official, who mentioned that over 100 ballistic missiles were observed in the sky, and the effectiveness of the defense systems remained unclear until the incident concluded.

The strike by Israel on Iran's consulate in Damascus on 1 April, which resulted in the deaths of seven Revolutionary Guards including two generals, led to warnings from Tehran of retaliatory actions.

During a visit by the Israeli ambassador and defence attaché to the White House, top US officials were briefed about the strike, although the US was not directly involved.

Following the strike, President Biden directed the government to ensure maximum defense support for Israel, deploying necessary authorities and assets in preparation for potential responses.

US Preparations for Regional Tensions | Top Points

Continuous Contact with US Officials: Ongoing and continuous contact with the Israelis and other countries in the West Asia region was maintained by US officials, including Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Real-time Updates Provided by General Kurilla: Real-time updates were provided by General Erik Kurilla, head of the US military command responsible for the region, who was dispatched to the area to coordinate with Israelis and other partners, as reported by ANI.

Direct Communications Sent to Iran: Direct communications were sent to Iran through the Swiss channel by the United States, as confirmed by a senior administration official.

Deployment of Additional Military Assets: Additional military assets were deployed to the region by Washington "to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for US forces," according to a US defense official last week, as reported by Reuters.

Future Goals

Since the start of the latest round of conflict between Israel and Hamas six months ago, the US goal has been to prevent the situation from spiraling into a broader regional conflict, with a focus on lowering tensions in the region.

Regarding possible Israeli action after the attack, it was stated by a senior administration official that the US would not be a part of any response undertaken by Israel and would not envision participating in such actions, as per media reports.

Israel has conveyed to the US that they are not seeking significant escalation with Iran. However, there remains uncertainty about the nature of Israel's potential response to the situation.