Biden convenes national security team to discuss US commitment to supporting Israel against Iran

President Joe Biden cut short a weekend stay at his Delaware beach house to meet with his national security team at the White House on Saturday as tensions escalated in the Middle East. Iran launched an attack against Israel, raising concerns about the conflict escalating into a wider regional war.

The situation in the Middle East has been tense since a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian consular building in Syria killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals. Iran vowed to retaliate against Israel, prompting U.S. and Israeli officials to brace for an attack.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson confirmed that Iran had begun an airborne attack against Israel. The United States pledged to stand with Israel and support their defense against threats from Iran.

President Biden boarded the presidential helicopter from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, to return to Washington. He convened a meeting with his national security team to discuss the events and plan the U.S. response. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin assured Israel of full U.S. support against any attacks by Iran and its proxies.

During the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, there have been daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants along the Israel-Lebanon border. The U.S. and its allies have warned Tehran against further escalating the conflict.

In a separate incident, Iranian commandos seized an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. strongly condemned the seizure and called for the immediate release of the ship and crew.

The situation in the Middle East remains volatile, with the Israeli-occupied West Bank also experiencing heightened violence. The U.S. and its allies are closely monitoring the situation and working to hold Iran accountable for its actions.