U.S. Representative Ken Calvert (R-Corona) has condemned Iran’s attack on Israel, describing it as “an unacceptable escalation in the Middle East.” The Southwest Asian nation launched drones toward Israel in retaliation for an earlier attack on a facility in Syria that resulted in the deaths of two Iranian generals.
“First, the President, the U.S. military, and our national security community need to coordinate closely with Israel to provide intelligence and resources to bolster their defense posture to blunt this attack,” said Calvert. “Second, the U.S. Congress must immediately pass a supplemental to provide additional supplies, including counter-UAS capability for both Israel and our military in the region, and send an unmistakable signal to Iran that we stand fully by our ally. I want to be very clear to Iran and other actors in the region: the U.S. unequivocally stands with Israel, and we will not tolerate further escalation. My prayers are with the people of Israel, and with our troops and allies in the region.”
According to the Associated Press (AP), Israel stated that Iran had fired more than 300 drones and missiles overnight. However, with the aid of its anti-missile defense system and support from the U.S. and the United Kingdom, Israel was able to repel this unprecedented assault. This attack occurred slightly over six months after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, causing thousands of casualties near the country’s border with Gaza.
Mona Yacoubian, Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa center at the U.S. Institute of Peace, told AP that both Iran and Israel claimed victory following the incident. As reported by AP, it remains uncertain what steps Israel will take following this attack, which fortunately did not result in any fatalities.
Fox Business reports that oil prices are anticipated to rise following Iran’s attack. The global benchmark Brent crude oil reached $92.18 per barrel on April 12 before falling to $90.45 per barrel.
