White House national security spokesperson John Kirby snapped at a reporter who suggested the United States is to blame for escalating tensions with Iran in the Red Sea during a Wednesday press briefing.
After Kirby stressed that the United States does not want the Israel-Hamas conflict to expand further to different fronts, a reporter asked the spokesperson if Washington’s move to defend the Red Sea with warships against Iran’s wishes was a provocation of Tehran that led to further escalation.
“Given the Red Sea patrols, we knew in advance of 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? We know Iran sees that as a provocation. You take the action anyway,” the reporter followed up.
“That’s certainly turning things upside down isn’t it? Wouldn’t you consider a provocation launching ballistic missiles and drones at commercial —” Kirby responded before the reporter attempted to interject.
“Let me finish. Wouldn’t that be considered provocation?” Kirby asked. “Targeting innocent merchant ships, innocent merchant sailors. That’s a provocation.”
Kirby snaps on a reporter who bizarrely suggests that the US is “escalating” with Iran by defending ships against missile attacks from its proxies pic.twitter.com/dYC5xgMgXE
— Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) January 3, 2024
U.S. Navy forces positioned in the Red Sea have recently engaged in fire with the Houthis after the terrorist group backed by Iran has attacked several commercial ships. In the most recent incident, the United States killed an unspecified number of Houthi militants in self-defense after the group opened fire on a commercial ship.
While the United States Navy vessels were defending the commercial ship, U.S. helicopters from the nearby aircraft carrier and destroyer were targeted by the terrorist group, the first time the country’s military has been directly targeted by the Houthis, the Pentagon said.
“What we are doing, what prosperity garden is all about, go on the web you can look at it. It’s a defensive posture, it is a coalition of the willing of Maritime nations coming together to try to protect international shipping. Shipping that affects the global economy,” Kirby responded to the reporter.
Since the most recent attack in the Red Sea, Maersk, a commercial shipping giant that was targeted by the terrorist group, said it was going to be halting its shipping services through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the company announced. (RELATED: US Consumers Face Higher Prices For Goods As Houthis Continue Attacks Against Commercial Vessels)
The reporter then asked Kirby if he was denying that there had been an escalation, causing the spokesperson to say he disagrees with the “premise” of the question.
“I ask you again. Has the United States’ actions supported an escalation as a result?” the reporter asked.
“No,” Kirby said as the reporter tried to follow up again.
“You asked me a question ma’am I answered it. No,” Kirby finished.