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President Biden "frightened" by the threat of Iran, returns to Washington

2024-04-13 21:01:29, Kosova & Bota CNA

President Biden "frightened" by the threat of Iran, returns to

US President Joe Biden will return to Washington on Saturday afternoon for emergency consultations with his national security team, amid alarm over a possible Iranian attack on Israel

Mr. Biden cut short his weekend trip to Delaware early, the White House said Saturday, to discuss developments in the Middle East. Tehran has vowed to retaliate for an attack in Damascus last week that killed a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander and six other officers, which Iran blames on Israel.

Shortly after the White House announced President Biden's change of plans, the Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had spoken with his Israeli counterpart "to discuss pressing regional threats ... and made it clear that Israel can fully rely on the United States to defend itself against any attack by Iran and groups it supports."

US officials have warned of a massive Iranian attack on Israel in response to the Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

Amid heightened tensions, Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized a transport ship "linked to (Israel's) Zionist regime" near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, state media in Tehran reported.

Later, the ship's operator, the Italian-Swiss consortium MSC, confirmed reports that Iranian authorities had boarded the transport ship.

The White House criticized the seizure of the transport ship, which is British property.

"We call on Iran to release the ship and its personnel immediately," National Security Council spokeswoman Adienne Watson said.

"The unprovoked seizure of civilian vessels is a grave violation of international law and a piratical act by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps."

Meanwhile, Israel on Saturday decided to suspend school trips and other youth activities in the coming days and put its military forces on high alert in response to the threat of a possible attack from Iran.

During a televised press conference, Israeli military spokesman Vice Admiral Daniel Hagari said dozens of fighter jets are patrolling the airspace as part of high alert measures.

He said that "Iran will suffer the consequences if it further escalates the situation."

"Israel is on high alert. We have increased readiness to defend Israel from further Iranian aggression. We are also prepared to respond," spokesman Hagari added in a video statement.

On Friday, Mr. Biden warned Iran against retaliatory action even as he said an Iranian attack could be imminent.

"We are committed to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed," he said.

On Thursday, the Pentagon said the commander of US forces in the Middle East has traveled to Israel for talks on security threats with Israeli military leaders.

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and, according to the US Energy Information Administration, more than a fifth of annual fuel consumption passes through it each year./ VOA