Washington: The United States has confirmed it was not involved in the Israeli military strikes that targeted Iran overnight, describing the assault as a unilateral action by Israel. The White House emphasized that its top priority remains the protection of US personnel and interests across the region.
According to Qatar News Agency, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in the strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region." He further added that President Trump and the administration have taken all necessary steps to protect US forces and remain in close contact with regional partners.
Rubio made it clear that Iran should not target US interests or personnel. He also noted that Israel had advised the US of its belief that the action was necessary for its self-defense.
In related coverage, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel's strike had pushed the region into a new phase of crisis, with potentially far-reaching consequences. The newspaper highlighted that Israel's defense minister declared a state of emergency and warned of a possible Iranian response involving missile and drone attacks.
Loud explosions were reported in Tehran overnight, particularly in the northeastern part of the capital, as tensions between the two regional powers escalated sharply. In response, Israel declared a special situation nationwide, a status that grants expanded powers to civil defense and emergency authorities.
This development follows repeated warnings from both US and Israeli officials in recent days regarding a potentially imminent strike on Iran, amid the breakdown of diplomatic negotiations by the Trump administration aimed at reaching a new nuclear agreement with Tehran.