US to hit Iran with new sanctions after Israel attack

The ‘comprehensive response’ will be ‘coordinated with allies’ such as the G7 countries.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

The White House said Tuesday that it will hit Iran with additional punitive measures as a result of the Islamic Republic’s heavy missile attack on Israel overnight Saturday.

“In the coming days, the United States will impose new sanctions targeting Iran, including its missile and drone program as well as new sanctions against entities supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s Defense Ministry,” said White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

The moves will be made in order to “continue a steady drumbeat of pressure to contain and degrade Iran’s military capacity and effectiveness and confront the full range of its problematic behaviors.”

The U.S. is planning these measures in coordination with “allies and partners, including the G7,” said the statement, as part of a “comprehensive response” to the air assault of over 300 ballistic and cruise missiles and explosive UAV’s that Tehran launched.

Almost all of them were shot down due to the coordinated efforts of the Israeli, American, British, French and Jordanian militaries, which worked together for the first time after years of joint training exercises.

Only a couple of missiles slipped through the anti-missile fire, with one causing minor damage to the Nevatim Air Force Base in the Negev.

A Bedouin child was also seriously injured by falling detritus of an interceptor missile.

The statement added that the U.S. intends to build on that success.

“We continue to work through the Department of Defense and U.S. Central Command to further strengthen and expand the successful integration of air and missile defense and early warning systems across the Middle East to further erode the effectiveness of Iran’s missile and UAV capabilities.”

The announcement of new economic restrictions comes as President Joe Biden is pressing Israel to limit its reaction to Iran’s attack, which President Isaac Herzog called “a declaration of war” against the Jewish state.

While Iran has fought Israel indirectly for decades by financing terrorist proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas with billions of dollars, smuggling them arms and missiles, and training their fighters, this was the first time Tehran fired on the Jewish state from its own territory.

The U.S., along with many of Israel’s major allies, have called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate militarily directly against the mullahs, fearing an escalation that could explode into a much wider conflict.

Tough economic injunctions could encourage Israel to stand down, especially if applied by a wide range of countries.

Sullivan specifically noted that “We anticipate that our allies and partners will soon be following with their own sanctions.”

Iran sanctionsmissile attackUS sanctions