Dem Sen. Coons: ‘We Need to Be Striking Back’ Against Iran Proxy Attacks on Troops

On Tuesday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Special Report,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) stated that “we need to be striking back” over the attacks against American soldiers by Iranian proxy groups.

Host Bret Baier asked, [relevant exchange begins around 3:10] “Sen. Coons, these attacks are Iran proxy groups that are attacking U.S. bases throughout the region…those attacks are going up, they haven’t seen significant fatalities or injuries, but they are being attacked, and there is not a response. Should there be, and where do you think this should — the message should be to Iran?”

Coons answered, “Yes, there needs to be pressure back against Iran, as has been said by the administration today. Although these attacks are mostly by proxies, by the Houthis, by Hezbollah, by militias in…Iraq and Syria, Iran is who is behind all of this. Iran funded, supplied, and trained the fighters of Hamas and is behind these other proxies that are in the north of Israel, in the south of Lebanon, in Yemen, on the Arabian Peninsula, in Iraq. So, we need to be striking back and we need to be prepared for the very real prospect that this will get harder before it gets easier. Every leader we met with in Israel expressed gratitude for the visits of Secretary Austin, Secretary Blinken, and President Biden, and, in particular, that we have two carrier strike groups now immediately in the region. They have 80 jet fighters each. We’ve prepared for mobilizing thousands of troops if necessary. My view, Bret, is that those strong steps are going to effectively deter Iran. But this is a very difficult regional moment, and I think having a bipartisan delegation of senior senators helped strengthen the clarity with which we are going to push back on aggression by Iran through its proxies.”

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