DID Press: Joe Kent, a recently resigned US counterterrorism official, has warned that Washington must restrain Israel to prevent dangerous escalation with Iran.
Kent stepped down from his position at the National Counterterrorism Center in protest against Washington’s decision to initiate military operations against Iran. In a message posted on the social platform X, he stated: “The first step toward de-escalation is restraining Israel; otherwise, any diplomatic effort will be undermined by new Israeli strikes, accelerating the path to war.”
He further argued that Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the United States and claimed the conflict was driven largely by pressure from Israeli leadership and influential lobbying networks in Washington.
The National Counterterrorism Center operates under the authority of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, currently led by Tulsi Gabbard.
These remarks come amid ongoing joint U.S.-Israeli military operations launched on February 28, targeting multiple major Iranian cities, including Tehran—a development that has sharply heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.