Biden promises Israel ‘ironclad’ support against Iran reprisals

WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden on April 10 promised “ironclad” support for Israel as Iran threatens reprisals over a strike that levelled an Iranian consulate building in Damascus and killed two generals.

Mr Biden’s promise comes despite his public criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the toll on civilians in

Israel’s campaign against Hamas,

especially after a strike killed seven aid workers.

Iran is “threatening to launch a significant attack on Israel”, Mr Biden said at a news conference.

“As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu, our commitment to Israel’s security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad,” said Mr Biden, who was speaking next to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

“Let me say it again – ironclad. We’re going to do all we can to protect Israel’s security.”

US officials have voiced alarm over the prospect of an imminent strike against Israeli interests after Israel on

April 1 destroyed the consulate building,

killing seven members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, including two generals.

Amid the heightened risks, German airline Lufthansa said on April 10 it had suspended flights to and from Teheran until probably April 13, extending its suspension by two days. Its original plan was to suspend its flights till April 11.

“Last weekend, it was decided not to operate a flight to Tehran with a layover for the crew due to the security situation,” a spokesperson said. “On the route, the crew has to spend the night in Teheran before the return flight to Frankfurt. We want to avoid disembarking for safety reasons.”

Lufthansa and its subsidiary Austrian Airlines are the only two Western carriers flying into Teheran, which is mostly served by Turkish and Middle Eastern airlines.

Austrian Airlines, which is owned by Lufthansa and flies from Vienna to Teheran six times a week, said it was still planning to fly on April 11 but was adjusting its timings to avoid an overnight layover.

“The Austrian Airlines flight to Teheran scheduled for today will take place, but will depart from Vienna several hours late in order to minimise the time between landing and departure in Teheran,” a spokesperson said.

There was no immediate word from other international airlines that fly to Teheran. Iranian airspace is also a key overflight route for Emirates and Qatar Airways’ flights to North America.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned in a speech on April 10 that the “evil regime” of Israel “must be punished and will be punished”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz swiftly riposted, in a Persian-language statement on social media site X: “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack Iran”.

Iran’s clerical state supports Hamas, which on

Oct 7 launched the deadliest attack against Israel

in the country’s history, triggering a relentless six-month Israeli military operation inside the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

The United States, since the start of the war, has sought to prevent it from spreading, including to Lebanon, where Iran supports the Shi’ite militant movement Hezbollah.

The US has been tight-lipped in its public reaction to the April 1 strike, saying it has not determined whether Israel struck a diplomatic facility, which would breach international agreements on the inviolability of embassies and consulates. AFP, REUTERS