The United States' unexpected entry into the conflict with Iran was driven by Israel’s determined plan to attack Iran and the certainty that American troops would be targeted in retaliation, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This explanation was presented to members of Congress during the first briefing by the Trump administration since the air campaign commenced over the weekend. Rubio, along with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine, emphasized that pre-emptive strikes were necessary to prevent higher casualties among US forces, as it was clear Iran would respond against the United States if attacked by anyone, including Israel.

President Trump has outlined several objectives for the war, including destroying Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and navy, preventing the country from developing nuclear weapons, and cutting off Tehran’s support for proxy forces in the Middle East. While Rubio initially focused on destroying ballistic missile capability and the navy, Vice-President JD Vance stressed the primary aim of ensuring Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon. Trump indicated the war could last