Iran’s unprecedented strike on Israel with hundreds of drones and missiles marked the end of a stressful two weeks in which Washington worked tirelessly to prepare for the impending conflict.
When Iran launched the attack on Saturday, American warplanes and planes shot down dozens of drones and missiles, after Tehran had threatened to retaliate in reaction to an Israeli raid on its consulate in Damascus that killed two top officers earlier this month.
Senior US officials described Washington’s efforts, both militarily and diplomatically, in combating the attack:
Iranian attack
Iran fired more than 100 medium-range ballistic missiles, 30 land-attack cruise missiles, and 150 attack drones toward Israel, according to a senior US military officer.
US forces “successfully engaged and destroyed more than 80 one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and at least six ballistic missiles intended to strike Israel from Iran and Yemen,” US Central Command tweeted Sunday.
President Joe Biden spent Saturday evening in the Situation Room at the White House, receiving real-time briefings on the incident.
“At one point, we knew there were over 100 ballistic missiles in the sky,” and “the results of the defenses of course were unclear until all was said and done,” a senior administration official said, describing the tense situation.
The catalyst
On April 1, Israel struck Iran’s consulate in Damascus, killing seven Revolutionary Guards, including two generals, and triggering Tehran’s warning that it would reply.
During a visit to the White House by the Israeli ambassador and defense attache, top US officials were briefed about the strike, according to a senior administration official.
“We were not a part of that strike,” the official stated, “but we knew it would have consequences.”
A few days later, Biden directed the administration “to defend Israel to the maximum extent possible” and to ensure that the essential authorities and assets were in place to do so – a decision that prompted officials to take action.
US preparations
Prior to the attack, US officials, including Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, were in “constant, ongoing, and continuous contact” with Israelis and other Middle Eastern countries.
General Erik Kurilla, the chief of the US military command responsible for the region, was dispatched to the area to offer real-time reports while also coordinating with Israelis and other partners.
The US was also in touch with Iran, sending “a series of direct communications through the Swiss channel,” according to a senior administration official.
Washington also sent more military assets to the region “to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for US forces,” according to a US defense official.
What comes next?
Since the commencement of the most recent round of combat between Israel and Hamas six months ago, the US goal has been to keep it from spiraling into a larger regional battle, and Washington is eager to bring the region’s temperature down.
“We would not be a part of any response they do,” the senior administration official said, referring to probable Israeli action following the incident. “We would not envision ourselves participating in such an act.”
Meanwhile, Israel has “made clear to us that they’re not looking for a significant escalation with Iran,” but “a big question is not only whether, but what Israel might choose to do,” according to the official.