Bernie Sanders Slams Israel's 'Illegal' Attack On Iran, Says 'Absolutely Imperative That The United States Not Be Dragged Into This War'

On Tuesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) urged the Donald Trump administration to steer clear of Israel's escalating conflict with Iran, calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's latest actions a direct threat to U.S. diplomacy and international law.

What Happened: In a video message posted on social media, Sanders sharply criticized Netanyahu for launching what he described as a unilateral and illegal surprise attack on Iran that killed hundreds and triggered retaliatory strikes.

The Israeli offensive, Sanders said, derailed ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations and violated the United Nations Charter.

“Netanyahu launched an illegal and unilateral surprise attack on Iran… Israel’s attack clearly violated international law,” Sanders said. "It is absolutely imperative that the United States not be dragged into this war."

He accused Netanyahu of intentionally sabotaging a sixth round of diplomacy that was scheduled just days after Israel's strikes and of assassinating the Iranian official leading the nuclear talks.

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Sanders also highlighted U.S. intelligence assessments, including testimony from Tulsi Gabbard, that Iran has not decided to build a nuclear weapon, although Trump has dismissed the assessment, stating that Iran was “very close” to developing a nuclear weapon, reported the Associated Press.

Instead of addressing the major crises, Sanders said, referring to climate change, inequality, future pandemics, the world is staring down another catastrophic war, triggered by Netanyahu's extremism.

He warned that any U.S. involvement would be unconstitutional without congressional authorization and would divert resources away from domestic priorities.

"We have Americans sleeping out on the streets… Enough is enough," he said, urging Trump to act as a "peacemaker" rather than escalate another Middle East war.

Why It's Important: The comments come amid reports that Trump is considering direct military action against Iran after he demanded "unconditional surrender" from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reported CNBC, citing current and former administration officials.

Trump, who left the G7 summit early on Monday to return to Washington, has publicly threatened Tehran. “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers,” he posted on Truth Social.

Israel said that its extensive military campaign is essential to stop Iran from advancing further toward developing a nuclear weapon. The strikes have resulted in at least 224 fatalities in Iran. In response, Iran has fired around 400 missiles and deployed hundreds of drones toward Israel, leading to the deaths of 24 people so far, according to another AP report.

 Photo Courtesy: Rich Koele on Shutterstock.com

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.