White House says US support for Israel is 'ironclad,' will 'support their defense' amid Iran attack

The White House vowed Saturday that nan United States' support for Israel's information is "ironclad," pledging to guidelines pinch nan Jewish authorities and "support their defense" aft Iran launched an aerial drone onslaught towards nan state Saturday afternoon. 

Iran launched drones from its ain territory toward Israel precocious Saturday, days aft its Supreme Leader warned it would deed backmost successful consequence to an airstrike connected nan Iranian consulate successful Syria that near respective generals dead. 

"Iran has begun an airborne onslaught against Israel," White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said successful a connection Saturday. "President Biden is being regularly updated connected nan business by his nationalist information squad and will meet pinch them this day astatine nan White House." 

The White House said nan president's squad "is successful changeless connection pinch Israeli officials arsenic good arsenic different partners and allies." 

"This onslaught is apt to unfold complete a number of hours," Watson said. 

"President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel’s information is ironclad," Watson continued. "The United States will guidelines pinch nan group of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran." 

FILE - President Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aft arriving astatine Ben Gurion International Airport, Oct. 18, 2023, successful Tel Aviv. Nearly half of Democrats disapprove of really Biden is handling nan Israel-Hamas conflict, according to a caller Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. The warfare could complicate Biden's reelection effort arsenic he tries to equilibrium factions of his statement pinch very different views connected nan conflict.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The president is expected to meet pinch nationalist information officials to talk nan events successful nan Middle East successful nan White House Situation Room Saturday evening. The officials will apt see Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chairman of nan Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown, CIA Director Bill Burns, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and more. 

The president was briefed earlier successful nan time by his nationalist information team. 

Earlier Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had for weeks "been preparing for nan anticipation of a nonstop onslaught from Iran." 

Netanyahu said Israel's "air defenses are deployed, we are fresh for immoderate scenario, some successful onslaught and successful defense." 

"I established a clear rule -- whoever hurts us, we wounded him. We will protect ourselves from immoderate threat and we will do truthful pinch coolness and determination," he said.

Israel has not claimed work for nan onslaught connected Iran's consulate successful Damascus. 

This is simply a processing story. Please cheque backmost for updates.