10 March 2016•Update: 22 March 2016
By Esra Kaymak Avci
WASHINGTON
The U.S. Department of State declined to confirm reports of a recent additional missile launch by Iran on Wednesday, with one missile sporting graffiti that allegedly threatened Israel.
"We condemn all threats to Israel and we'll stand with Israel to help it to defend itself against all kinds of threats," said State Department spokesman John Kirby.
While not confirming neither the missile launch nor the graffiti, Kirby repeated a statement from Tuesday that said the U.S. was going to look at the reports and take whatever appropriate response is necessary -- "either at the UN or unilaterally".
He added that Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday raised his concerns about the reports with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif.
Kirby's comments came hours after Iran conducted new missile tests, including one that allegedly had an anti-Israel slogan that purported to wipe Israel off the Earth.
The U.S. has invested more than $3 billion in an Iron Dome and other missile defense systems to help protects Israel, according to Kirby.
On Tuesday, media reports said Iran launched several medium- and short-range ballistic missiles, which might violate a UN resolution, the U.S. noted.
A UN Security Council resolution adopted one week after the Iran nuclear deal was signed, endorsed the agreement and has provisions that continue to be used to disrupt Tehran’s missile related proliferation and procurement activities.
The resolution demands Iran not to undertake ballistic missile activity, including test launches with ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead.
