House Overwhelmingly Passes Resolution Condemning Iranian Attack on Israel

An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, on April 14, 2024. Amir Cohen/Reuters

The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution on April 18 condemning Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend.

The final tally was 404–14 with one Republican and 13 Democrats voting against it.

In addition to condemning the attack, the resolution, introduced by Rep. Tom Kean (R-N.J.), “reaffirms and supports Israel’s right to self-defense; stands with Israel as it defends itself against Iran’s attack and seeks to re-establish deterrence against Iran and its proxies; [and] fully supports Israel’s right to respond to this aggression through military, diplomatic, economic, and other necessary means.”

The resolution also “calls on all countries to unequivocally condemn Iran’s attack on Israel; commends the United States military, the United Kingdom, France, and Jordan for intercepting Iranian missiles and drones and thereby limiting the damage from this unprecedented attack on Israel; [and] reaffirms the United States commitment to Israel’s security, including through security assistance and defense sales.”

Finally, it “urges full enforcement of United States sanctions and export controls against Iran to impede Iran’s nuclear program, missile and drone development, and funding of terrorist groups and proxies, including Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestine Islamic Jihad, the Houthis, and militias in Iraq and Syria; and [that the House] stands ready to assist Israel with emergency resupply and other security, diplomatic, and intelligence support.”

The attack consisted of more than 300 drones, 120 ballistic missiles, and more than 30 cruise missiles. Israel and U.S. allies in the Middle East, such as Jordan, intercepted 99 percent of the projectiles. This was in retaliation for Israel taking out senior Iranian military officials at a Syrian headquarters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is a U.S.-designated terrorist group.

Response From Israel

Israel is expected to take a retaliatory military response, but its timing and scope are publicly unknown.

“I want to make it clear—we will make our own decisions, and the State of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 17.

Iran has warned against Israel responding. “Our response will be much larger than tonight’s military action if Israel retaliates against Iran,” armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri told state-run media on April 14, saying that Iran warned the United States that any support of an Israeli counterattack against Iran would lead to American bases being targeted. All U.S. assets and bases in the region could be targeted, he added.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi sent a message praising Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for launching the attack, claiming it had taught Israel a lesson. He also warned that “any new adventure against the interests of the Iranian nation would be met with a heavier and regretful response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The general and other Iranian officials then claimed that Iran’s “operations are over” and that Tehran has “no intention to continue them” before claiming the attack successfully hit two Israeli bases.

Also on April 14, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said his country has no intention of continuing the military operation against Israel. “At this juncture, the Islamic Republic of Iran has no intention of continuing defensive operations,” he wrote on X, and he added: “But if necessary, it will not hesitate to protect its legitimate interests against any new aggression.”

Mr. Amirabdollahian called the attack “exercising the right of legitimate defense” and said it shows Iran’s responsible approach to “regional and international peace and security.”

He added in a news conference that Iran had notified the United States of the impending attack. “Early Sunday in a message to the White House we announced that our operation would be limited and minimalistic and aimed at legitimate defense and punishing the Israeli regime,” the minister said.

US Involvement

The Biden administration has cautioned Israel when it comes to retaliating against Tehran. President Joe Biden told Mr. Netanyahu following the attack that the United States would not support a military response by the Jewish state.

However, the president has pledged to help defend Israel from further attacks.

“If Iran succeeds in significantly escalating its assault on Israel, the U.S. could be drawn in,” President Biden said in a Wall Street Journal commentary on April 17.

“Israel is our strongest partner in the Middle East; it’s unthinkable that we would stand by if its defenses were weakened and Iran was able to carry out the destruction it intended this weekend,” he continued. “We can make that outcome less likely by replenishing Israel’s air defenses and providing military aid now, so its defenses can remain fully stocked and ready.”

The Biden administration on April 18 announced sanctions against Iran’s automobile, steel, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs. It sanctioned 16 individuals allegedly tied to the UAV program.

“These new sanctions and other measures will 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,” said White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, previewing the sanctions.

“We will continue to work with our allies and partners to employ the full range of the tools at our disposal to address the revenue streams and disrupt the networks that support Iran’s reckless proliferation of weapons that destabilize the Middle East and beyond,” said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement announcing the sanctions.

Jack Phillips and Katabella Roberts contributed to this report.