Sen. Cruz: ‘Israel is acting to defend itself’

The Israeli Air Force’s massive attack on Iran overnight Thursday has drawn strong reactions from across the world—in favor and against.

Parts of the Republican Party in Congress supported the unilateral action, while leaders of other countries condemned the airstrikes and called for restraint.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was unequivocal in his support for the Jewish state’s actions in Tehran and further afield in Iran.

“President Trump has been clear that Iran must completely dismantle their nuclear capability,” he wrote on X. “Iran has given President Trump the middle finger. Israel is acting to defend themselves. And we should stand with them.”

Cruz warned against Iranian adventurism against U.S. assets in the region. “If you attack American military bases, President Trump will respond with overwhelming force.”

Across the aisle, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) also backed Israel’s attack, pithily responding on X to the reports that the strikes have targeted and killed senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders, as well as nuclear scientists.

“Our commitment to Israel must be absolute and I fully support this attack. Keep wiping out Iranian leadership and the nuclear personnel, Fetterman wrote.

“We must provide whatever is necessary—military, intelligence, weaponry—to fully back Israel in striking Iran.”

Moscow took some time to respond to Israel’s widespread strikes, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov eventually said that “Russia is concerned and condemns the sharp escalation of tensions,” said .

Leaders in the Middle East were quick to condemn Israel’s actions, although these public denunciations often mask far less robust private criticism, if not outright support.

One of the countries whose condemnation was presumably genuine was Oman, which was set to mediate a sixth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear on Sunday.

“Oman considers this act a dangerous, reckless escalation, representing a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and the principles of international law. Such aggressive, persistent behavior is unacceptable and further destabilizes the regional peace and security,” according to Reuters.

Similarly, Qatar, which has backed Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood to the tune of billions of dollars, and fomented unrest on U.S. college campuses, was scathing of Israel’s actions.

The country’s foreign ministry described the attack as a “flagrant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security,” and called for restraint and de-escalation, reported Iran International.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met with the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to the country, Ali Salehabadi.

Al Muraikhi reaffirmed Qatar’s “strong condemnation and deep denunciation of the Israeli attack” on Iran, describing it as a blatant violation of the country’s “sovereignty and security.”

Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the latter of which has full diplomatic relations with Israel, issued stern rebukes to Jerusalem. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry said it “condemns in the strongest terms” Israel’s military strikes and expressed “deep concern over the repercussions on regional security and stability.”

Meanwhile, Riyadh expressed “strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Israeli aggressions against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran, which undermine its sovereignty and security and constitute a clear violation of international laws and norms.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said reports of the strikes were “concerning,” while calling for “restraint” and “de-escalation,” as well as a “return to diplomacy.”

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya maintained that the use of force was “deeply regrettable,” while diplomatic efforts were ongoing.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres asked both sides to “show maximum restraint, avoiding at all costs a descent into deeper conflict, a situation that the region can hardly afford.”