Axios reported that the US will not be able to stop Israel if Iran attacks it again.

The administration of US President Joe Biden warned Iran of a possible attack on Israel and stressed that it would not be able to stop the Israelis in the event of an attack. This information was reported by Axios, citing anonymous officials from the United States and the Israeli government. Since Iran's attack on Israel on October 1, in response to killings by Israelis, Israel has attacked Iranian military targets while avoiding attacks on Iran's nuclear or oil facilities.

“We have warned the Iranians that we cannot stop Israel, and we cannot guarantee that the next attack will be as targeted as the previous one,” the US official said.

The message was sent directly to the Iranians, which is uncharacteristic as such direct contacts are rarely made. An Israeli source said the message was transmitted from Washington to Tehran via Switzerland. Iran has vowed to retaliate against more Israeli strikes, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei saying the US and Israel will “definitely receive a crushing response.”

Esmail Kowsari of the Iranian parliament said a response to the attack would be agreed upon by Iran's Security Council, but the date and scale had not yet been determined. He also added that the attack would be carried out jointly with other “resistance” groups and would be more powerful than the October 1 attack, during which 180 ballistic missiles were fired. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration “has made it very clear that Iran does not have to respond” and that “we will continue to support Israel” if that happens.

General Pat Ryder of the Pentagon announced that the United States is sending additional missile defense destroyers, a squadron of fighter jets and tanker aircraft, and several U.S. Air Force B-52 strike bombers to the Middle East.