Joe Biden: Israel's Response to the Islamic Republic's Attack Must Be 'Proportionate'

Joe Biden, the President of the United States, emphasized on Wednesday, October 3, the right of Israel to respond to the Islamic Republic's missile attack, stating that this response must be 'proportionate.' In response to reporters' questions about whether he supports the prospect of attacking the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities, he said: 'The answer is no.' He added that following the Islamic Republic's missile attack on Israel, the United States will impose new sanctions against Iran. To coordinate the response to the 'unacceptable' attack by the Islamic Republic on Israel and to implement new sanctions, the President held a meeting on Wednesday with leaders of the G7 countries. Earlier, Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, emphasized that 'the United States will never hesitate to protect its forces and interests in the Middle East and support Israel and other regional partners,' describing the Islamic Republic's missile attack on Israel as 'a hostile and unacceptable act.' Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, also stated on Tuesday, October 2, without providing details, that the Islamic Republic will face 'severe consequences' for this attack and stressed that the U.S. will coordinate with Israel in this regard. Sullivan added that the main priority is to protect American forces in the region, and any threats and attacks from the Islamic Republic will be closely monitored. In response to the Islamic Republic's missile barrage on Israel, Congressional Republicans have called for increased military support for Israel and a tougher stance against the Iranian government. Democratic lawmakers have taken a more cautious tone, emphasizing support for Israel's right to defend itself while calling for tension control. The Islamic Republic launched approximately 200 missiles at Israel on the evening of Tuesday, October 2. The U.S. and Israel described this attack as ineffective and neutralized, while Islamic Republic officials claim it was successful. The missile attack on Tuesday evening followed a significant increase in verbal tensions between Israeli and Iranian officials after the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah. The Israeli army reported on Saturday, September 29, that Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut, which Hezbollah confirmed hours later. Hezbollah was established in 1982 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Several countries, including the United States, Israel, Germany, Serbia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Australia, have designated the group as a terrorist organization. The designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization means that there is no distinction between its political and military branches, labeling both as terrorist entities. Over the past year, Hezbollah has targeted northern Israel with rocket and missile attacks following the deadly terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Hamas, another proxy group supported by the Iranian government, massacred at least 1,200 Israeli citizens, including women, children, and the elderly, during the October 7 attack and took over 250 others hostage. This group is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Japan, and several other countries. Military experts have stated that the recent attack on Israel was more complex and advanced than previous ones. Guterres condemned the Islamic Republic's missile attack after being banned from entering Israel. Analysts assessed that the Islamic Republic made a significant strategic error with this missile attack. The U.S. Secretary of Defense stated that they intercepted the missiles fired by Iran and that there is no hesitation in supporting Israel. Harris called the Iranian government 'dangerous,' while Trump stated that if he were in power, there would not have been an attack on Israel.