US has ‘done very little’ responding to attacks on Americans in Middle East: Sen. Joni Ernst

(NewsNation) — Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa voiced concerns about the Biden administration’s perceived lack of strong American leadership and the absence of a demonstrated consequence for Iran’s hostile actions.

“Hamas is currently holding six Americans hostages, as well as the over 30 Americans that were killed on October 7. They continue to strike Americans across the Middle East,” Ernst said in an “On Balance” interview. “And yet the United States has done very little to respond.”

A recently surfaced video appears to capture the moment Israel carried out an attack, believed to be an assassination, targeting a senior Hezbollah leader. The footage has intensified concerns that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) may be intentionally provoking a conflict with Hezbollah, leading to growing fears of an impending all-out war involving Israel, the United States, and regional allies.

In response to the escalating situation, the Biden administration has dispatched Secretary of State Antony Blinken on a wide-ranging tour of the Middle East. The administration aims to de-escalate tensions, with Blinken expressing optimism about the effectiveness of their deterrence policy during his tour of eight different countries.

“Everywhere I went, I found leaders who are determined to prevent the conflict that we’re facing now from spreading, doing everything possible to deter escalation to prevent a widening of the conflict,” Blinken stated.

However, critics including former U.S. ambassador John Bolton argue that the administration has yet to provide a comprehensive strategy for deterring escalation, emphasizing the need for a clear “or else” component to effectively discourage further hostilities.

“Well, I think there will be peace if Israel can wipe out Hamas, if we see other terrorist leaders taken out, as we’ve seen with the leader in Lebanon,” Ernst said.

Ernst criticized the administration for not conveying a decisive stance on the matter and stressed the importance of demonstrating strength on the global stage.

During her recent trip to the Middle East, Ernst shared her observations, expressing a degree of optimism regarding negotiations involving Egypt, Qatar, and Bahrain in securing the release of hostages held by terrorist groups.