Biden warns Iran not to attack Israel

President vows ‘ironclad’ support for ally as sources report ‘imminent’ assault likely

JOE BIDEN has warned Iran not to launch an attack on Israel, amid reports of an “imminent” missile strike targeting the country.

The US president said his commitment to Israel’s security was “ironclad” and that Washington would do “all we can” to protect it from an attack by Tehran in retaliation for a strike in Syria that killed senior Iranian generals.

Yesterday evening, Bloomberg reported that US intelligence officials believed an attack on Israeli soil was imminent and could involve “high-precision missiles”. However, a Pentagon official last night declined to comment on reports the US was preparing to intercept Iranian missiles, and to join retaliatory strikes by Israel.

The official told The Telegraph the US government was “aware of Iran’s rhetoric” and that “both Israel and the US take it seriously”. At a press conference in Washington, Mr Biden said: “We also want to address the Iranian threat … they’re threatening to launch a significant attack in Israel ... our commitment to Israel’s security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad. Let me say it again, ironclad.”

Foreign embassies have reportedly already begun evacuations in anticipation of an attack in the coming days, after Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei said Israel “must be punished” for a raid on an Iranian embassy compound in Syria.

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the strike, which killed two generals and five military advisers on April 1. The most high-profile victim was Mohamed Reza Zahedi, who led the elite Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard in Lebanon and Syria until 2016.

In a speech to mark the end of Ramadan yesterday, Ayatollah Khamenei vowed to take revenge. “When they attack the consulate, it is as if they have attacked our soil,” he said. “The evil regime made a mistake and must be punished and it shall be.”

US officials reportedly believe any Iranian strike would probably be on military and government buildings. One source told Bloomberg an attack is considered a matter of when, not if.

Any strike could escalate the conflict in the Middle East to a direct war between two of the region’s biggest powers. Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defence minister, has said Israel would respond with its own strike on Iran. Speaking to troops in northern Israel, Mr Gallant said Iran would face a “powerful response in its territory”.

“Any enemy that tries to attack us, will first of all be met with a strong defence. But we will know how to react very quickly with a decisive offensive action ... no matter where it is.”

Iran has been accused of supporting Hamas in its war against Israel and of stoking the conflict through its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. The attack on Israel could come from Lebanon, where Hezbollah is located, although intelligence officials reportedly believe it could also be launched from elsewhere in the region.

Israeli officials have said they will wait for an Iranian attack before launching a planned assault on Rafah, in the south of Gaza, where Israel has vowed to root out remaining Hamas fighters.

Meanwhile, German airline Lufthansa last night announced it was suspending flights to Tehran “due to the current situation”. A spokesman said it was “constantly monitoring the situation in the Middle East and is in close contact with the authorities”.

Separately yesterday, three sons of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh were killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza.

JOE BIDEN’S national security adviser cancelled an in-person meeting with Lord Cameron, understands, after claims the Foreign Secretary had been snubbed by US politicians on his trip to Washington DC.

Jake Sullivan, Mr Biden’s most senior foreign policy official, replaced the planned meeting with a phone call after “diary clashes” related to a visit from the Japanese prime minister.

Lord Cameron flew to the US on Monday and met Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, and Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate.

The Government hoped the Foreign Secretary could convince wavering Republicans they should vote for a bill to fund the war in Ukraine, following months of holdup in Congress. Lord Cameron said yesterday that while he was not in the US to “lecture” politicians, he had arrived with a “plea” to continue American support for Kyiv.

However, two of his planned meetings were cancelled after Mr Sullivan and Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House of Representatives, said they were too busy.

The call with Mr Sullivan took place on Tuesday, after his team withdrew from an in-person meeting, citing preparations for the arrival of Fumio Kishida, the Japanese prime minister.

“He has a very busy schedule and it is moving around all the time,” a US government source said.

A Foreign Office source said their virtual meeting was a “positive call and we were glad we could make it happen”.

Lord Cameron said his meeting with Mr Johnson, who controls business in the House, was not “fixed” before his trip, despite him saying the two would meet.

Mr Johnson has the power to bring Mr Biden’s Ukraine supplemental spending package before Congress, but is facing opposition from Republicans who argue the war is too expensive.

The meeting was touted as one of the Foreign Secretary’s most important opportunities to sway Republican opinion on Capitol Hill, but Mr Johnson’s team said he was not available on Tuesday or Wednesday for a meeting.

“I had a great meeting with speaker Johnson last time I was here and I didn’t have a meeting fixed for this visit,” Lord Cameron told MSNBC.