US officials have defended US-Israeli strikes on Iran as a defensive measure, claiming they were a proactive measure for the United States' protection ahead of an imminent threat. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US did not want to stand idly by and take a hit before striking themselves. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US of entering a war of choice on behalf of Israel, accusing them of shedding both American and Iranian blood. Mike Johnson, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, said Israel was determined to act in their own defence regardless of US support. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance suggested that the United Kingdom would welcome a leader in Tehran willing to cooperate with Washington, but US President Donald Trump's primary goal is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.