Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his recent remarks about an imminent threat from Iran were taken out of context, denying that he suggested Israel forced the United States into launching strikes. Speaking on Capitol Hill, Rubio argued that his comments were selectively edited and maintained that President Donald Trump had already decided Iran would not be allowed to shield itself behind its ballistic missile program.

Rubio’s clarification marked a shift from comments the previous day, when he stated that officials expected Israeli military action to trigger retaliation against American forces. He had indicated that the United States acted preemptively to avoid higher casualties. President Trump rejected claims that Israel pushed the United States into the conflict, asserting instead that he may have pressured Israel to act.

The episode drew criticism from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, some of whom described the conflict as an unnecessary war of choice that put American lives at risk. As political debate intensified in Washington, fighting escalated in the region. United States and Israeli strikes reportedly killed Iran’s top leader and dozens of senior officials, while Iran responded with ballistic missiles and drones targeting American bases and regional countries.

Iranian strikes have hit locations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Israel, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. A Central Intelligence Agency outpost at the United States embassy in Saudi Arabia was struck, though it remains unclear whether personnel were injured, underscoring the widening scope of the four-day conflict.