Carbondale Reporter

Congressman Mike Bost addressed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, stating, "Israel has faced deadly threats from Iran, from Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, and from Hamas terrorists in Gaza for years," in an October 1 Facebook post.

"My prayers are with the people of Israel as the country faces a barrage of Iranian missiles," said Bost, U.S. Representative, according to Facebook. "Israel has faced deadly threats from Iran, from Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, and from Hamas terrorists in Gaza for years. They have every right to defend themselves and reestablish deterrence, with the certainty of knowing they can count on continued U.S. support."

According to Fox News, a shooting incident occurred on October 1 in Jaffa, Israel, resulting in eight injuries. The report indicated that terrorists opened fire on at least ten people, killing eight. Both attackers were reportedly eliminated as per Walla News. In a subsequent update the same day, Fox News reported that over 100 missiles had been fired toward Israel. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the attack, citing it as retaliation for the recent killings of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.

Screenshot of U.S. Rep. Mike Bost's Oct. 1 Facebook post | U.S. Rep. Mike Bost's Facebook page

An unnamed White House official told NBC News on October 1 that "The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel. We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran." NBC also reported that Iran is expected to target military and government sites rather than civilians.

CNN reported that three groups backed by Iran—Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis—are engaged in fighting against Israel. These groups are part of Iran’s Axis of Resistance and have been designated as terrorist organizations by the United States. CNN provided background information on these groups: Hezbollah originated during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982; the Houthis are involved in Yemen’s civil war; and Hamas began as an offshoot of a Sunni Islamist group from Egypt in 1987.

Bost is currently serving as the representative for Illinois’ 12th District since January 6, 2015. He has two decades of experience in the Illinois State House of Representatives where he served as House Republican Caucus Chair. A lifelong resident of Murphysboro and former U.S. Marine Corps member from 1979-1982, Bost worked for 24 years at Bost Trucking Service before joining the Murphysboro Fire Department after graduating from the University of Illinois’ Certified Firefighter II Academy in 1993.