Norman Roule, former national intelligence manager for Iran at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, refuted Iran's claim of U.S. approval of the attack on Iranian military commanders in Syria.
Tehran holds Israel responsible for the April attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, and the U.S. military believes Israel carried out the attack. Israel has made no comment on it.
In an interview with Newsmax on "Wake Up America Weekend," Roule said, "Certainly not; the United States plays no role in Israeli decision making on such issues.
"It's very likely, if almost certain, that Israel did not consult the United States in advance on such issues, in part fearing leaks or the United States might seek to restrain it," he said. "But at the end of the day, Israel decided to take extraordinary action against seven individuals who were responsible for the actions of Hamas on Oct. 7, the hundreds of attacks against Israeli civilians over months and years before and after Oct. 7, as well as for the deaths of thousands of Syrians during the Syrian civil war."
Regarding potential U.S. support in a conflict between Israel and Iran, Roule underscored the strategic interests shared by the two nations. He noted the presence of American citizens and investments in Israel and the readiness of U.S. military assets in the region to aid in defense. Roule referenced previous successes in protecting international shipping from missile threats, indicating a capability to assist Israel if needed.
"Well, first, we need to keep in mind that there are hundreds of thousands of Americans in Israel, he said. So our own people are there, as well as Israelis and many other nationalities, as well as hundreds of billions of dollars of U.S. investment; so we have many interests in the country. The United States military will help defend Israel, and the ships in the northern Red Sea and the eastern Mediterranean are very well equipped to do so."
Turning to recent events in the Strait of Hormuz, Roule addressed Iran's interception of a Portuguese-flagged vessel.
"To be clear, he said, this was in international waters. This is a Portuguese flagship, so it's an EU ship, potentially owned by a company owned in part by an Israeli individual. Twenty Vietnamese sailors carrying cargo from the Emirates to India," he said.
"It shows you the geographic scale of Iran's aggression against international shipping and in international waters. So we're watching state piracy. And the international community either responds to this, or other countries — to include North Korea — will attempt to repeat this."
Responding to concerns about perceived weakness in U.S. responses to Iranian aggression, Roule pointed out Iran's ongoing oil exports despite previous sanctions. He suggested that Iran's actions have not had significant consequences, contributing to its perception of Western passivity.
"Well, it's certainly true that Iran does not likely believe that there is a significant response from the West, including the United States, for any of its actions," he added.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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