Any threat posed by Iran was to Israel, not the US

Democratic members of the US Congress have criticised claims by the Trump administration that the strikes on Iran were justified because of the threat posed by Tehran to Washington, saying any threat posed was to Israel.

Mark Warner, a Democratic senator from Virginia and vice-chair of the select committee on intelligence, told reporters after a briefing that there was "no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians".

"There was a threat to Israel. If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory," he said.

Joaquin Castro, a House Representative from Texas, criticised remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that "it was abundantly clear that if Iran came under attack by … the United States or Israel or anyone, they were going to respond … against the United States."

"Secretary Rubio's remarks indicate that Israel put US forces in harm's way by insisting on attacking Iran," said Castro. "And the administration was complicit – joining their war instead of talking them down."

He continued: "This is unacceptable of the President, and unacceptable of a country that calls itself our ally."