Biden is among the last of the old-school U.S. congressional lawmakers who were reared in the post-Holocaust period where an emerging Israel struggled for its survival against greater Arab powers and won. It seemed a noble cause, and Biden frequently has expressed his undying love for the “Jewish state.”

The United States warned Iran on Tuesday to expect "severe consequences" for a ballistic missile barrage on Israel that US officials said was "defeated" with the assistance of American warships.A Pentagon spokesman said Iran launched about twice as many ballistic missiles Tuesday as it did in its previous direct attack on Israel earlier this year.

As the international community scrambles to respond to Iran’s attack, analysts warn a wider war is here – but there is still time to reverse course.