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Biden official gets into heated argument with reporter, calls genocide charges ‘meritless, counterproductive’: Watch
John Kirby on Wednesday snapped at claims that the United States has provoked Iran with its naval presence in the Middle East.
Amid Houthi attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday snapped at claims that the United States has provoked Iran with its naval presence in the Middle East.
Using anti-ship missiles and drones, Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have been targeting commercial ships travelling through the Red Sea for weeks, claiming that the attacks are aimed at vessels linked with Israel as it continues its ground offensive against Hamas through the Gaza Strip. Following the Hamas attack on Israel, the US has increased its presence in the region, announcing its Operation Prosperity Guardian in December, which is an international move to protect commercial ships passing through the Red Sea.
During his regular press briefing on Wednesday, the reporter asked Kirby if US has escalated Israel-Hamas war with deployment of its naval forces to counter attacks by Iran-backed proxy groups on shipping vessels.
Kirby calls US move a ‘defensive posture’ in response to Houthi attacks
"Given the Red Sea patrols, we knew in advance those being set up that the Iranian defense minister said very clearly, 'nobody can make a move in a region where we have predominance,' the United States knew that, set it up anyway. Is that not being seen as a provocation? If you know that Iran sees that as a provocation, you take the action anyway," the reporter said.
Slamming the claims made by the reporter, Kirby called the Biden administration's initiative a "defensive posture", adding that "it's a coalition of the willing ... to try and protect international shipping."
"That's certainly turning things upside down, isn't it?" he said. “Wouldn't you consider the provocation launching ballistic missiles and drones at commercial [vessels]?”
Despite Kirby's stern response, the reporter asked: "So you're denying then that there has been an escalation since the Red Sea patrol."
"I totally disagree with the premise of your question," Kirby replied. "It wasn't the United States who decided to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis did that. And who are the Houthis backed by? Iran. As I've said before, Iran provided the missiles the Houthis are using. We are simply in a defensive posture to protect that commercial shipping and we have in the last 48 hours."
Surprisingly the reporter didn't stop there as she went on to challenge Kirby, pointing out that Iran launched a warship into the Red Sea in apparent response to the United States.
"I ask you again, has the United States' actions supported an escalation as a result?" she said.
"No," Kirby replied.
John Kirby also termed South Africa’s 84-page suit accusing Israel of genocide “meritless, counterproductive, and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever.”
US, Italy, Japan denounce Houthi attacks in Red sea
This comes days after the White House released a joint statement with Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Bahrain, Belgium, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, condemning the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea as "unacceptable" and "illegal"
"Ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing. There is no lawful justification for intentionally targeting civilian shipping and naval vessels. Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews. The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region's critical waterways," the joint statement read.
