New Delhi: Amid simmering tensions in the Middle East, after Iran seized an Israeli cargo ship off the UAE coast in retaliation to the latter’s attack on the Iranian embassy in Syrian capital, Damascus two weeks back, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to discuss “urgent regional threats” and reiterated the “unwavering US support for Israel's defence”.
“Secretary Austin made clear that Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against any attacks by Iran and its regional proxies,” a release issued by the US Department of Defence stated.
This comes a day after the US said a “reprisal” from Tehran was a possibility and warned that the chances of Iran avenging the killing of its two top generals in the Israeli air strike was “real”.
“We still deem the potential threat by Iran here to be real, to be viable,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists, according to news agency AFP.
Tehran vowed to hit back after the Israeli air strike at its Syrian consulate killed two of its top generals.
READ | Threat Of Iranian Reprisal To Killing Of Two Generals In Israeli Air Strike 'Real', Says White House
“I would just say that we're watching this very, very closely,” Kirby said.
Earlier on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden warned that Iran was “threatening to launch a significant attack on Israel”, as he pledged “ironclad” support for the latter amid the growing tensions.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army issued a warning to Iran saying that the nation should brace for “consequences” for growing conflict in the region, after Iran announced that it had seized an Israeli cargo ship in the Gulf on Saturday.
The cargo vessel, seized off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had 17 Indian nationals among its crew.