Former Vice President Mike Pence declared Sunday that the United States must be prepared to assist Israel in eliminating Iran’s nuclear capabilities, signaling a sharp escalation in rhetoric as tensions in the Middle East continue to spiral. Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Pence emphasized that aiding Israel in such a mission is critical to defending what he called “our most cherished ally.”
“If Israel needs our help to ensure that the Iranian nuclear program is destroyed once and for all,” Pence stated, “the United States of America needs to be prepared to do it.” His remarks come just days after Israel launched its most extensive military operation against Iran to date, directly targeting the Islamic Republic’s nuclear infrastructure and reportedly killing several top Iranian military officials.
“Nobody is asking the US to fight wars for Israel” https://t.co/tqC72Z96Yr
— Auron MacIntyre (@AuronMacintyre) June 15, 2025
The Israeli strikes, carried out overnight Thursday, mark a major turning point in the region's long-simmering conflict. According to reports, the attacks hit critical nuclear sites and were executed without direct U.S. involvement, although Trump administration officials were said to have been briefed in advance. The move has effectively disrupted ongoing diplomatic efforts by President Trump to renegotiate a nuclear deal with Tehran.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a late-night statement distancing the U.S. from the operation. “Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said.
It’s pretty clear Israel’s been planning this for years, & now that Trump’s in office, they think he’ll be politically obliged to make the U.S. a belligerent.
I hope he instead stands firm on his campaign promise of no new war. What Israel does is up to Israel, but it’s… https://t.co/97CQnQ4DKf— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 15, 2025
In response, Iran launched waves of drone attacks targeting Israeli and U.S. interests, stretching the conflict into its third day by Sunday. The pace and scale of the confrontation have renewed concerns about a broader regional war and the security of American personnel stationed throughout the Middle East.
Pence reinforced those concerns by pointing to Iran’s ongoing development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. “They’ve been working on intercontinental ballistic missiles that could reach the United States,” he warned, framing the Iranian threat as not only regional but global.
BREAKING: Trump calls for a peace deal between Iran and Israel, amid calls for the US to join in the war on Iran https://t.co/eb5m731a4D
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 15, 2025