SECURITY: Republican Defence Hawks Call For Strong US Reponse To Iran

The Iranian missile attack on Israel appears set to transform into a major political issue in the United States ahead of next month's presidential election, with a string of Republican defence hawks calling for 'decisive' action against Iran and attributing blame to the Biden administration's soft approach to Iran. Republicans are likely to again hammer the White House for its perceived failings on Iran, including a proposed deal to unfreeze USD$6 billion in Iranian oil revenue that was blockedby the House of Representatives in November last year.

• Senator Roger Wicker (R-MI), the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Forces Committee, said: "Iran and its terrorist proxies – Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis – will never stop their campaign to eliminate Israel from the map. The Ayatollah's regime must be eliminated."
• Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) said in a statement: "I spoke with President Trump earlier today, and he is determined and resolved to protect Israel from the threats of terrorism emanating from Iran. I can assure you Iran attacks Israel at their own peril.... Now is the time to show unified resolve against Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism. We need decisive action, not just statements."
• Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) said: "For three and a half years, the Biden-Harris administration’s appeasement-first foreign policy has emboldened adversaries and invited aggression. Today’s attack on an American ally by Iran is a direct result of that weakness."