Lawmakers advocate Israeli military capabilities for Iran defense

A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to President Joe Biden, advocating for the administration to provide Israel with the military capabilities needed to defend itself from Iran.

U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) have joined nine Republican colleagues in encouraging the action, which they indicated would also prevent Iran from achieving a nuclear-weapons capability.

“Your administration appears intent on striking a new nuclear deal with Iran that will provide the regime with a pathway to nuclear weapons,” the legislators wrote. “A nuclear-armed Iran would have major negative regional implications. It would put at risk the existence of the State of Israel and the governments of our Arab allies, destroy America’s position in the Middle East, and ultimately threaten the U.S. homeland. A course correction is necessary.”

U.S. Sens. James Risch (R-ID), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Boozman (R-AR), Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined Johnson and Cotton on the letter.

“We, therefore, urge your administration to take immediate action to provide Israel with the military capabilities it needs to defend itself from Iran,” the legislators concluded. “Most importantly, since the purchase has already been approved, your administration must expedite the delivery of KC-46A aerial refueling tankers to Israel as rapidly as possible without interrupting deliveries to our own Air Force. Your administration must urgently fulfill America’s obligation to help Israel defend itself by giving it the tools it needs to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.”