How US Helped Israel Thwart Iran's Unprecedented Ballistic Missile Attack

Tev Aviv: On the eve of Rosh Hashanah(Israeli New Year), Israel was hit by a massive missile attack, with over 180 ballistic missiles launched from Iran with Sirens sounding across the country, but many of them were intercepted in joint efforts between Israeli defense forces, US agencies.

Several video footage showed defense systems intercepting missiles, with debris falling in various areas.

How the US Assisted Israel’s Defense

President Joe Biden stated that the US was ‘actively’ supporting Israel’s defense under his directive. He said that he had been in the Situation Room, the White House's command center for national security, when the attack began.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also mentioned that Biden was monitoring the situation closely, , "there will be severe consequences for this attack." 

President Biden directed the US military to assist in intercepting Iranian missiles targeting Israel, as confirmed by the White House. Moreover, both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were closely following the situation from the Situation Room, receiving constant updates.

The Pentagon reported that the US fired about a dozen interceptors at the barrage of missiles. Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder explained that the US military worked in close coordination with the IDF to protect Israel. Two US destroyers, the USS Cole and USS Bulkeley, which are deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, launched the interceptors to counter the attack. 

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, both before and during the attack, and reaffirmed the United State's ‘ironclad commitment’ to Israel’s defense.

Prior to the attack, US had warned Israel about the potential strike from Iranian side. A senior US official revealed that American intelligence had indicated Iran was preparing a significant missile assault on Israel, expected to be larger than previous strikes.

Meanwhile, Tehran claimed that many of its missiles hit their targets. Also, Celebrations erupted across Iran, as the attack was termed as retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Israel's ongoing operations in Lebanon and Gaza.