Pentagon chief confirms US interception of Iranian missiles Vows unwavering support for Israel

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that American forces in the Middle East successfully intercepted numerous Iranian missiles aimed at Israel, underlining the U.S.'s unwavering support for its key ally.

According to a statement released by the Pentagon's press office, Austin condemned Iran's aggressive actions, calling for an end to such provocations, including support for affiliated terrorist groups, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“We condemn this blatant act of aggression by Iran and call on it to refrain from further attacks, including by terrorist groups it supports,” Austin said.

He also reassured that the U.S. has significant military capabilities deployed to safeguard its personnel and continue backing Israel’s defence efforts, while actively working to prevent further escalation in the region.

Austin’s remarks followed his conversation with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, where they discussed the consequences of Iran's large-scale missile assault, which saw approximately 500 ballistic missiles launched at Israel on October 1. 

Despite the magnitude of the attack, Israel's advanced air defence systems successfully intercepted the majority of the missiles, with damage to Israeli infrastructure kept to a minimum.

“Thanks to the work of the air defence systems, there was minimal damage,” the IDF stated, highlighting the effectiveness of their missile defence technologies.

By Tamilla Hasanova