Joe Biden blasted for weak response to attacks on US bases: 'Americans will be killed'
President Joe Biden has been warned that "Americans will be killed" in the Middle East unless he steps up his response to attacks on the US bases.
Iran-backed groups have launched a series of attacks on US bases in multiple weeks.
In response, the US killed eight Iran-backed fighters in air raids that were later condemned by the government in Iraq.
The surge in attacks on US bases came as the war between Israel and Hamas escalated. There is currently a ceasefire between the two parties as hostages and prisoners are exchanged.
Another incident that caused concern came when US officials reported that two ballistic missiles fell within 10 nautical miles of the USS Mason, a guided-missile destroyer in the Gulf of Aden.
The rockets were fired from areas under the control of Houthi rebels in Yemen.
READ MORE: Iran-backed forces 'try to storm US base in Iraq' after mortar, drone attack
Mark Esper, who served as defense secretary under Donald Trump, has warned that Joe Biden's administration has not provided a strong enough response.
He told CNN: “I don’t think the administration response has been sufficient with regards to attacks by Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria and elsewhere.
“I know they are concerned — they fear that if they do too much it will escalate. My argument is just the opposite. If they don’t do enough, the attacks will continue, (and) at some point Americans will be killed and that’s when it will escalate.”
On Monday, Mr Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend the ceasefire again as hope for a more permanent solution to the conflict grows.
The US president said he wants to “keep this pause going beyond tomorrow so that we can continue to see more hostages come out and surge more humanitarian relief into those in need in Gaza”.
He added: “This deal is structured so that it can be extended to keep building on these results.
“That’s my goal, that’s our goal…We will not stop working until every hostage is returned to their loved ones."
Mr Netanyahu told Mr Biden he is open to extending the ceasefire further if more hostages can be freed.
A number of Israeli hostages have been released in recent days.
While some have said Hamas treated them well while they were in Gaza, others have given different views on their time in captivity.
Ruthy Munder, 78, said she spent the entirety of her time with her daughter and grandson and said it was "suffocating" as they endured food shortages.
