Biden says US 'fully supportive' of Israel after Iran attacks

US President Joe Biden speaks alongside Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (L) and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (R) during a briefing on Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on October 1, 2024 in Washington, DC. [AFP]

President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the United States was "fully supportive" of Israel after Iran's ballistic missile attacks, describing Tehran's assault as "defeated and ineffective."

Biden said he would now discuss with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu how to respond to Iran, but that it remained to be seen what shape that response would take.

"The attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective, and this is a testament to Israeli military capability and the US military," Biden told reporters at the White House.

"Make no mistake, the United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel."

Asked by reporters what the response towards Iran would be, Biden replied: "That's in active discussion right now. That remains to be seen."

Biden said his team had been in contact throughout the attacks with Netanyahu's and that he would be speaking to the Israeli prime minister himself.

"I'll be talking to him and my message will depend on what we finally conclude is needed," he said.