Iran to US: Involvement with 'Israel' will put your forces under fire

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Axios
12 Apr 2024 21:47
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Iran has communicated via mediators that the safety of US forces in the region is directly linked to the US' involvement in Israeli activity against Iran.

Iranian leader, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, center, visits an exhibition of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' aerospace achievements as he is accompanied by the armed forces commanders, in Iran, on November 19, 2023. (Office of Sayyed Ali Khamenei)

Iran sent a message to the White House through mediators, explaining that if the United States gets involved on "Israel's" side in a possible confrontation, US forces in the region will be attacked, three US officials told Axios.

The possibility of Iranian retaliation against Israeli targets within occupied territories has spurred Israeli authorities to mobilize forces and agencies for the past 11 days, anticipating a large-scale attack or precision attack on strategic assets. "Israel's" anti-air coverage is nowhere near capable of foiling a large-scale multi-faceted Iranian attack. This means that the US air defense systems in the area will most likely be put on high alert in an attempt to intercept incoming ballistic missiles.

The nature of the response remains largely unknown, with speculation that the attack will match the level of the Israeli crime, rather than escalate confrontations in the region.

According to Axios, the Israeli occupation and the US believe that the attack would include the launch of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and attack drones from Iran to Israeli-occupied territories.

US wants to tame 'Israel' after malicious embassy strike

US officials have also said the Biden administration asked "Israel" to notify American officials and to allow the US to have a say before decisions are made about possible Israeli aggression against Iran following the response. Put in the context of the possibility of wider-scale responses to American bases and assets in the region, this message holds significant worth, showing that the US seeks to impose its own pace of engagement in an explosive region.

"The Iranian message was we will attack the forces that attack us, so don't f**k with us and we won't f**k with you," a US official told Axios.

The US maintains that it had nothing to do with the original attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Syria, which led to the martyrdom of seven Iranian military advisors. However, on a diplomatic level, the US has done everything possible to save "Israel's" face, failing to condemn the attack on the internationally protected compound.

'Israel's' security remains the US top priority

Amid the public statements by President Biden and other US officials affirming US support for "Israel's" interception of Iranian attacks, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin assured Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant of full US support in countering "Israel's" enemies.

During their conversation, Gallant emphasized to Austin that any direct Iranian attack would necessitate a proportional Israeli response directed at Iran. However, interpreting the Iranian message has posed challenges, with a US official indicating uncertainty about whether Iran's threats encompass US forces assisting "Israel" in intercepting Iranian missiles or only in the context of supporting Israeli retaliation.

Moreover, the US military has dispatched US CENTCOM commander General Michael "Erik" Kurilla to assist Israelis in defensive strategies. These actions mark, yet again, the US' unwavering support to the criminal Israeli regime, be it headed by Benjamin Netanyahu or not, and Washington's disregard for the stability of the "rules-based" international order that it claims to push for.