US Senator Tom Cotton has voiced concerns over Iran's increasing aggression against US forces across the Middle East, saying Tehran-backed militants know the US would not confront them.

“Iran’s proxies have attacked Americans in Iraq and Syria over 170 times. We have responded 8 times,” Cotton (R-AR) said. “Iran and its terror groups know President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin won’t stand up to them.”

The Senator's comments underscore growing concerns among lawmakers about the Biden administration's approach to Iran, particularly in light of recent provocations by Iranian-backed militias. Many lawmakers argue that a stronger response is needed to prevent further escalation and protect American interests in the region.

Iran is currently at the helm of a regional proxy war which has seen its militias come out in support of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, in a war which has escalated to draw in international players including the US and UK. Particularly worrisome are attacks by Yemen's Houthi militants, armed and supported by Tehran, who have unleashed deadly drone and missile attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

In a joint operation with Britain in February, the United States initiated dozens of strikes against Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria as well as its Yemeni proxy, the Houthis. The Houthis are currently blockading the Red Sea in a bid to force Israel into a ceasefire amidst the war in Gaza against the Iran-backed Hamas militia. Around 1,200 mostly civilians were murdered and at least 250 more taken hostage in the October 7 attack.