Western South Dakota News

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today addressed the recent attack on Israel by Iran and its proxies. Thune criticized President Biden's handling of Iran and emphasized the importance of standing with Israel against Iranian aggression.

Thune highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, “This weekend Iran and its proxies in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq fired a barrage of missiles and drones against Israel. The direct attack was a marked escalation on Iran’s part." He called for a united front against Iran, saying, “And it is time for the United States, our allies, and nations that support peace and freedom to make it clear to Iran that we are not going to stand idly by while Iran threatens Israel and foments terror in the Middle East."

The Senator emphasized Iran's long history of threatening Israel and destabilizing the region, citing various terrorist organizations supported by Iran. Thune pointed out, “Hamas gets approximately 90 percent of its military budget from Iran." He questioned the impact of Iran's support for terrorism, stating, “There is certainly reason to wonder what the Middle East would look like today if Iran hadn’t spent decades funding and arming terrorist organizations."

Thune criticized President Biden's approach to Iran, labeling it as appeasement. He expressed concern over the administration's actions, including attempts to unfreeze Iranian assets and renewing sanctions waivers for Iran. Thune called for a stronger stance against Iran, stating, “The United States should be making it clear to Iran that the United States will not allow another Iranian attack like the one that occurred this weekend – and that we will not tolerate any more aggression from Iran."

In conclusion, Thune urged President Biden to take a firm stand against Iranian aggression to prevent further violence in the Middle East.