Iran launched a barrage of missiles aimed at Israel Tuesday, targeting major cities such as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The assault lit up the skies, prompting Israel’s Iron Dome defense systems to intercept some of the projectiles while warning sirens blared throughout the region. The Israeli military later confirmed the attack was over, with no reported casualties at this time.
However, the tension escalated after earlier warnings from the U.S. government that Iran was preparing for an imminent ballistic missile strike, following Israel’s ground operations in southern Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah forces. Vice President Kamala Harris is now facing a wave of criticism for the Biden administration’s handling of Iran and its policies in the Middle East.
Critics on social media were quick to seize on the attack, pointing out her previous statements regarding diplomatic efforts with Iran. In a recent sit down with CBS News, Harris was asked, “What’s the message to Iran?”
“Don’t!” Harris said. Greg Price, a political commentator, posted on X (formerly Twitter), sarcastically stating, “Wait, you mean to tell me that Iran is attacking Israel even after Kamala Harris looked them sternly in the face and said ‘DON’T’?”
Adding to the scrutiny was a resurfaced clip from Harris in 2019, where she criticized the Trump administration for what she claimed was an effort to provoke conflict with Iran. “In a Harris administration, we wouldn’t have gotten ourselves into this mess,” Harris said at the time to MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
“I do not believe that the current president of the United States is working in the best interest of the people of this country,” Harris claimed. “I have good reason, based on everything we know publicly, to suspect and to be concerned that his motivation is more out of self-interest than it is the interest of the American people.” The resurfacing of her comment has prompted further backlash in light of Iran’s aggression. Trump’s campaign reposted the clip on X, saying, “That prediction certainly aged well!”
Former President Trump also sounded off on the Biden-Harris administration. “Look at the World today — Look at the missiles flying right now in the Middle East, look at what’s happening with Russia/Ukraine, look at Inflation destroying the World. NONE OF THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS PRESIDENT!” he wrote on Truth Social.
“THIS WAR WAS TOTALLY PREVENTABLE. IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. IF I WERE PRESIDENT, IT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED!” he added in a second post.
While the immediate threat from Iran seems to have subsided for now, the broader geopolitical consequences of this attack will likely spark further debate on Capitol Hill. Republicans, in particular, are expected to ramp up criticism of the administration’s foreign policy strategy in the days ahead.
Israeli authorities are investigating reports of a Palestinian civilian’s death in Jericho, in the West Bank, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Tuesday afternoon. “In short, based on what we know at this point, this attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective,” Sullivan continued. “The word ‘fog of war’ was invented for a situation like this. This is a fluid situation.”