Secretary of State Antony Blinken that “the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have clear links. Since we cut off Russia’s traditional means of supplying its military, it has turned more and more to Iran for assistance. In return, Moscow has supplied Iran with increasingly advanced military technology, which poses a threat to Israel’s security. Allowing Russia to prevail with Iran’s support will embolden both Moscow and Tehran”. During the same Senate hearing, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin asserted that “unacceptable Iranian-backed attacks against U.S. forces [in Iraq and Syria] must stop... If Iranian-backed groups continue to attack U.S. forces, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures in the region to protect our people”.