WASHINGTON, April  13, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - US President Joe Biden cut short a
weekend trip to Delaware on Saturday to return to Washington for urgent
consultations on the Middle East, the White House said, amid heightened
tensions between Iran and Israel.

Iran has vowed retaliation after a presumed Israeli strike on April 1
leveled an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus, killing seven members of
the elite Revolutionary Guards including two generals.

"The President is returning to the White House  this afternoon to consult
with his national security team about events in the Middle East," the White
House said.

Biden had said on Friday that he expected Iran to retaliate "sooner than
later," and earlier this week had said Tehran was "threatening to launch a
significant attack."

On Thursday the Pentagon said the top US commander for the Middle East had
traveled to Israel for talks on security threats with the country's military
officials.