Biden Reiterates Commitment to Israel's Security in Meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister

In an effort to mitigate tensions in the Middle East following the Islamic Republic's attack on Israel, U.S. President Joe Biden met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani at the White House on Monday to discuss the latest regional developments. According to the White House, Biden emphasized at the beginning of the meeting that "the United States is committed to Israel's security and that U.S. engagement is vital for our countries, the Middle East, and the world." Al-Sudani traveled to Washington for discussions aimed at focusing on U.S.-Iraq relations, which had been planned long before the Islamic Republic's direct attack on Israel on Saturday night. Some of the Islamic Republic's drones and missiles passed through Iraqi airspace to reach Israel, while others were "launched from Iraq" by groups affiliated with the Islamic Republic; this situation could impact the "sensitive relations between Washington and Baghdad." As regional tensions rise, raising more questions about two decades of U.S. military presence in Iraq, U.S. officials reported that a U.S. Patriot launcher in Erbil, Iraq, intercepted at least one ballistic missile from the Islamic Republic. This was just one of dozens of missiles and drones intercepted by U.S. forces, alongside Israel's efforts to thwart this attack. In response, the Israeli government has committed to retaliating against the largely thwarted attack by the Islamic Republic, but the White House's strategic communications coordinator refrained from stating whether the U.S. was informed about Israel's plans. John Kirby told reporters on Monday, "We let the Israelis speak to this, but we do not interfere in their decision-making process regarding a possible response." The U.S. has previously ruled out the possibility of direct involvement in an attack on the Islamic Republic. He added, "Israel is in a much stronger strategic position today than it was a few days ago, and the Islamic Republic's praised missile program is much less than what it was using to threaten Israel and the region." Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Tamim, stated that "the United States urges all parties to refrain from escalating tensions." He said, "In the 36 hours following the Islamic Republic's attack on Israel, we have been coordinating a diplomatic response to prevent escalation; power and wisdom must be two sides of the same coin." The U.S. Secretary of State warned: "The Middle East is in an exceptional situation today that has implications for our nations, and we hope that the escalation of tensions and conflict in this region will come to an end." Reports from Voice of America indicate that Iraqis are concerned about potential retaliatory attacks from Israel. An Israeli media outlet reported that Israel will respond "clearly and forcefully" to the Iranian government's attack; NBC stated that Israel's response may be "imminent." The Middle East is in crisis; some financial institutions predict an increase in oil prices. The UN Secretary-General at an extraordinary Security Council meeting stated: "Now is the time to reduce tensions and exercise maximum restraint." The Israeli Defense Minister told his American counterpart: "We have no choice but to retaliate against the Islamic Republic's attack." Global condemnation of the attack on Israel is growing; an increasing number of countries are summoning Iranian ambassadors.