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U.S. forces are expected to join Israeli defensive efforts in response to escalating regional tensions, Israeli Army Radio reported Friday, according to Al Jazeera.
The development comes as President Donald Trump pledged American support for Israel's defense while maintaining that Washington was not involved in Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
Speaking to Fox News presenter Bret Baier, Trump said the U.S. will help defend Israel if Iran retaliates against the strikes.
"Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see. There are several people in leadership that will not be coming back," Trump told Baier, according to the Fox News report.
The anticipated U.S. military involvement in defensive operations represents a significant escalation in American engagement, despite Trump's repeated emphasis that Washington was not involved in the initial Israeli strikes.
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The U.S. Embassy in Israel issued a security alert Friday directing all American government employees and their families to "shelter in place until further notice" due to potential threats, including "mortar, rocket, and missile fire, and unmanned aircraft system intrusions."
About 30 minutes before Israel began its strikes in Tehran, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee wrote on social media: "At our Embassy in Jerusalem and closely following the situation. We will remain here all night. 'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!'"
Iran's Foreign Ministry responded by asserting Tehran's "legal and legitimate" right to respond under the U.N. Charter, while holding both Israel and the United States responsible for the "dangerous and far-reaching effects and consequences" of the strikes.
"The Zionist regime's aggressive actions against Iran cannot have been carried out without the coordination and authorisation of the United States," the ministry said in a statement.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed strong support for Israel, writing on social media: "Israel IS right–and has a right–to defend itself!"
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