President Joe Biden faced criticism for his handling of escalating tensions in the Middle East after Iran’s missile and drone strikes against Israel over the weekend, with some accusing him of inadvertently leading the U.S. into a potential conflict.

Following Iran’s attacks on Saturday, concerns arose about potential retaliation from Israel against Iran, which President Biden reportedly hopes to avoid. While affirming to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. would not join the conflict further, there are lingering apprehensions about Israeli retaliatory actions against Iran this week.

“The strategy of the Biden Administration has failed miserably,” said Fawaz Gerges, a professor of International Relations and Middle Eastern Politics, in an interview with NBC News. “Biden is sleepwalking the U.S. into another catastrophic war in the Middle East.”

Gerges criticized Biden’s inability to prevent the Gaza conflict from escalating or influence Netanyahu’s decisions, particularly concerning Iran.

Benjamin Friedman, policy director at Defense Priorities, suggested that Israel might have been emboldened by U.S. support to take action against Iran.

“The Israeli government has courted a fight with Iran, perhaps encouraged by the prospect of U.S. help in going after Iran,” Friedman told NBC News. He emphasized that Biden should have clarified limited U.S. support for Israel and warned against a conflict with Iran due to potential risks to U.S. security.

Meanwhile, a U.S. military official confirmed ongoing U.S. efforts to defend Israel against Iranian missile and drone attacks.

“Our forces remain postured to provide additional defensive support and to protect U.S. forces operating in the region,” the official stated on Sunday.