During a cabinet meeting at the White House on October 19, Defense Secretary Austin listened as President Biden addressed the nation. Speaking to Sky News, Austin discussed the recent Iranian missile attacks on Israel, which occurred on October 1, when Iran launched over 180 ballistic missiles in retaliation for the death of Hamas leader Haniyeh, who was killed in an attack within Iran in July.
When asked about Israel’s potential response to Iran, Austin remarked, “It’s hard to say exactly what an Israeli response would look like. Ultimately, that is a decision for Israel to make. Regardless of whether the Israeli people believe the level of retaliation is commensurate with the attack, or how the Iranians perceive it, those could be two very different things.”
He further noted, “We will continue to do everything we can to de-escalate tensions and encourage both sides to start calming the situation. We’ll be watching closely to see what unfolds.”
