(April 11, 2024 / JNS) “God forbid,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) told Agudath Israel of America on Wednesday, but Israel could face “a multi-pronged attack, not just by Iran, but by their agents in Syria and in Iraq, by the Houthis, by Hezbollah, all at once, perhaps in retribution for a recent strike, perhaps in a future conflict.”

“Iran is closer to coordinating that, because they believe that they can do it, and that the U.S., because of our internal friction with regards to the U.S.-Israeli relationship, will not respond,” the Florida Republican added, addressing Agudah’s leadership mission to Washington.

“That’s a very real threat, and I hope I’m wrong,” Rubio said. “But we may not see the end of next week without something like that happening. If it does, you will remember that that deterrence was lost and undermined by this desire to appease this radical element of a voting base.”

U.S. leaders who created that friction between Jerusalem and Washington “in order to appease some radical, left-wing, pro-Hamas element” are “undermining the deterrence of Israel’s enemies,” Rubio added.

Per photos that Agudah posted on social media, its members met with members of Congress from Connecticut, Louisiana Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma Pennsylvania and Wyoming, as well as members of the Biden administration.