John Kirby issues dire warning to Iran to avoid US casualties amid escalating conflict with Israel – hints at ‘what we would do’ if US troops are targeted

John Kirby said the US has communicated to Iran “what we would do” if US troops or facilities are targeted amid rising conflict in the Middle East.

President Joe Biden’s National Security Council (NSC) spokesman reiterated that the United States does not plan to engage in counterattacks against Iran on behalf of its ally Israel — but will continue to help defend the Jewish nation.

Amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas terrorists in Gaza, some Republican lawmakers are unhappy with the Biden administration’s response so far to the escalating conflict and want a direct response to last night’s attacks from Iran and its proxies.

‘The president has made it clear: We are not seeking a war with Iran. We are not seeking a broader war in the region, Kirby told NBC host Kristen Welker on Sunday morning.

Iran and its proxies have fired 200 drones and missiles at Israel since Saturday night – most of which were intercepted outside its airspace

When pressed by the Meet the Press host about whether Biden has ruled out a direct strike against Iran, Kirby reiterated: ‘We are not seeking a war with Iran.’

While Kirby says there have been no attacks on US troops, personnel or facilities in the region so far, he claims the White House has warned Iran against taking such action after Tehran said it would target US forces if they help Israel launch counterattacks.

“We remain vigilant about exactly that potential threat, but we have seen no attacks on US troops or personnel in the region or our facilities and nothing to report as of this morning,” Kirby said.

‘But of course we are going to follow it very, very closely.’

‘I just want to say that we made it very clear to all parties, including Iran, what we would do and how we would continue to defend Israel and also how seriously we would take any potential threat to our personnel and our facilities in the region,’ the NSC spokesman added.

Iran has launched more than 200 drones and missiles against Israel since Saturday evening, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) said.

The vast majority of the attacks were intercepted outside Israel’s airspace. But a small number of dozens of surface-to-surface Iranian missiles struck inside the nation, injuring a girl and causing damage to a military installation in the south, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari of the armed forces said early Sunday.

President Joe Biden met with his national security team in the White House Situation Room on Saturday

President Biden had to cut short his weekend in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, to return to Washington, DC

Iran said the strikes came in response to an early April drone strike in Syria that left 12 Iranians dead, including two top generals.

Biden and his Pentagon chief, Lloyd Austin, have repeatedly said the United States will continue to help Israel defend against Iranian attacks, but have said Washington will not get involved in counterattacks.

It comes after Iran warned last week that if the US carried out strikes, its forces would attack US personnel and facilities in the region.

Biden had to cut short his beach weekend at his vacation home in Rehoboth, Delaware to resolve the escalating conflict.

The president arrived on the beach on Friday – but returned to Washington, DC just 21 hours later to meet with his national security and defense teams.