Joe Biden cuts trip short and returns to White House as Iran launches drones towards Israel

President Joe Biden pictured boarding Air Force One to Delaware on 12 April 2024

President Joe Biden cut a weekend trip short and returned to the White House as reports indicate Iran launched dozens of drones towards Israel set to arrive in a matter of hours.

Mr Biden was set to spend the weekend in his home state of Delaware but is now returning to Washington, DC on Saturday afternoon to meet with his national security team. His departure was announced just hours before the IDF detected Iran’s attacks.

“Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel,” National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Saturday. “President Biden is being regularly updated on the situation by his national security team and will meet with them this afternoon at the White House.”

The reported drone launchcomes after a suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria on 1 April. The attack killed Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and six other officers. Such an attack could further heighten tensions and violence in the area.

“Together with our partners, the [Israel Defense Forces] are operating at full force to defend the State of Israel—and the people of Israel,” Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said.

Already, the region faces Israel’s continued offensive in Gaza and the consistent fire exchanged between the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, along the Israel-Lebanon border

On Friday evening, the president said his administration expects Iran to launch an attack against Israel “sooner rather than later.” He also warned Tehran against launching the attack.

“We are devoted to the defence of Israel,” Mr Biden told reporters. “We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed.”

Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said he spoke with his counterpart in Israel on Saturday morning.

“This morning, I spoke with my Israeli counterpart, National Security Advisor Hanegbi, to discuss events in the Middle East,” Mr Sullivan said on X. “During the call, I reiterated the United States’ ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”

As Israel braces for an attack, the IDF has issued an alert pausing all “educational activities” and limiting gatherings throughout most of the country to 1000 people.

In the last six months, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 33,400 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza. The attacks come in response to 7 October, when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking more than 200 people hostage.

Tensions between Israeli Prime MInister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Biden have been on the rise in recent weeks.

This week, the president called for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza to allow humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians. However, he still appears poised to make an $18bn sale of fighter jets to Israel — a deal which the administration says has been in the making for years.

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