U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ignited widespread controversy with remarks suggesting that an anticipated Israeli strike on Iran prompted the United States to launch preemptive attacks, effectively framing the ongoing 2026 US-Israel-Iran conflict as a "war of choice" influenced by Israeli plans.
During a press briefing and congressional testimony on March 2, Rubio defended the U.S. strikes by stating there was an "imminent threat."
He elaborated: "We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, we knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that that attack was going to be with ballistic missiles... We were not going to sit there and absorb a blow."
Rubio emphasized that the goal is to dismantle Iran's missile and drone programs, while adding that the U.S. would "welcome" the end of Iran's governing system.
Critics have seized on these comments as an admission that the U.S. proactively joined Israel's offensive rather than responding to a direct threat, leading to accusations of twisted justification.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the remarks, calling the conflict a "war of choice on behalf of Israel."
