Biden to return to Washington amid Iran threats against Israel

(Adds Austin, Jake Sullivan speaking with Israeli counterparts, paragraphs 4-6) REHOBOTH BEACH, Delaware April 13 (Reuters) -

U.S. President Joe Biden will return to Washington on Saturday afternoon to consult with his national security team a day after saying that he expects an Iranian attack against Israel "sooner, rather than later." Biden cut his weekend trip to Delaware short, the White House said Saturday, to discuss events in the Middle East.

Tehran has vowed to retaliate for Israel's attack on Iran's embassy compound last week in Damascus

that killed a senior commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' overseas Quds Force and six other officers. As Biden prepared to return to Washington, Israel put its military on

full alert and canceled all educational and other youth activities.

Earlier on Saturday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to discuss "urgent regional threats," the Pentagon said, and reiterated full U.S. support for Israel against attacks by Iran and its proxies. Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser, relayed a similar message of U.S. support to his own Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi, he said in a post on X.

On Friday, Biden warned Iran against retaliation even while predicting the attack may be imminent. "We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed," he said.

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