Trump takes a dig at Harris for not addressing Israel's attack on Iran

On the campaign trail this weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump briefly addressed Israel’s airstrikes on Iran military sites.

"Israel is attacking – we've got a war going on, and she's out partying," Trump said at a rally in Michigan on Friday as Harris was holding an event with Beyonce in Texas.

Later, Harris on Saturday called for "de-escalation and not an escalation of activities in that region."

"I feel very strongly, we as the United States feel very strongly that Iran must stop what it is doing in terms of the threat that it presents to the region, and we will always defend Israel against any attacks by Iran in that way," she told reporters in Michigan, ignoring Tel Aviv's attack on Iran.

"Of course, we maintain the importance of supporting Israel's right to defend itself."

US warns Iran not to respond to Israel

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, to discuss Israel's overnight strikes on military targets in Iran.

"I emphasised that the United States is well postured to defend US forces and facilities across the region and made clear that Iran should not make the mistake of responding to Israel's strikes, which should mark the end of this exchange," Austin wrote on X.

Austin said he reaffirmed the US' "ironclad commitment" to Israel's security and support for Israel's right to defend itself.

Israel has killed nearly 43,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, so far. It caused a massive shortage of basic necessities, including water, food, electricity and medicine, while also displacing almost all of the enclave's population.

Israel's attack on Iran mounted fears that Tel Aviv could drag the whole region into an all-out war.