President Biden returned to the White House a day early from his house inRehoboth Beach, Del., to meet with his national security team as Iran launched attacks on Israel.
Biden had been scheduled to return to Washington on Sunday but instead returned on Saturday afternoon to huddle with his top advisers in the White House Situation Room.
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Biden on Friday had said an attack from Iran against Israel could happen sooner rather than later, and warned Tehran against the attack.
“Don’t,” he said, when asked what his message was to Iran.
“We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel. And Iran will not succeed,” Biden said.
Here’s who Biden met with in the Situation Room
Israel has been on alert for a possible attack from Iran after an airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, two weeks ago.
Iran said the strike killed two of its generals and several other members of theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force. Iran said Israel was responsible; Israel has neither confirmed nor denied being behind the attack.
The White House said Biden was meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown, CIA Director Bill Burns, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, national security adviser Jake Sullivan, and others. Vice President Harris joined by secure video, the White House said.
Biden has vowed to support Israel
Biden spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a week ago about the threats that Iran had made against Israel.
“As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu, our commitment to Israel’s security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad. Let me say it again: ironclad,” Biden said at a press conference on Wednesday. “We’re going to do all we can to protect Israel’s security.”
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