The US has to be ready for what could be a significant set of attacks against Israel by Iran and its proxies, US National Security Communications adviser John Kirby told reporters in a virtual briefing Monday, as international diplomats raced to avert a regional war.
“We have increased our force posture and capabilities in the region even in just the last few days,” Kirby said, adding that “we have to be prepared for what could be a significant set of attacks.”
The most important step right now is making sure that “Israel can defend itself and that we, the United States, have in place the proper force to help them defend themselves,” Kirby said.
Coalition of five armies
The US had led a coalition of five armies, including Israel, Jordan, France, and the United Kingdom, in April to defend Israel from an Iranian attack that included 300 missiles and drones.
It’s presumed that it would activate that same coalition, but it prefers to avert that situation through an intense diplomatic effort to pressure Iran and Hezbollah to refrain from reprisal attacks against Israel.
The “United States and our allies and partners continue to message our counterparts in the region against escalation,” Kirby said. “Some of our allies and partners continue to send that message to Iran .. that we don’t want to see escalation,” he stressed.
The US has, in the past week, explained that it has passed messages to Iran urging constraint and restraint.
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