Is Netanyahu attempting to involve the US in a conflict in the Middle East?

Members of the House of Representatives have been busy this week, loading up the schedule with several bills aimed at strengthening US sanctions and financial pressure against the Iranian government. This comes in response to accusations that Israel is trying to lead the US into a broader conflict, a claim that has not been publicly confirmed by the White House.

Lawmakers gathered on Capitol Hill for a briefing hosted by the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) to discuss these allegations. Brad Sherman, the number two Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, firmly rejected the idea that Israel is trying to drag the US into a war with Iran, casting doubt on the reporting by NBC News.

Republicans also weighed in on the situation, with GOP congressman Pete Sessions from Texas stating that the US could do more to pressure Tehran economically without resorting to military aggression. Both parties agreed that Israel does not want a war with Iran and that the US cannot be drawn into such a conflict.

Meanwhile, the White House announced that President Biden’s team is preparing a new set of sanctions in response to a recent drone and missile attack against Israel. Congress is also passing legislation to add pressure to Iran’s energy sector, with one resolution affirming that the pro-Palestinian slogan “from the river to the sea” is inherently antisemitic.

Overall, the US government is ramping up efforts to contain and degrade Iran’s military capacity and confront its problematic behaviors, according to national security adviser Jake Sullivan.