Governor Kathy Hochul has addressed the ongoing attacks in Iran, emphasizing the importance of safety for New Yorkers amid rising global tensions. She stated that state intelligence agencies are working closely with local and federal law enforcement to enhance security at sensitive locations, including places of worship for both Jewish and Muslim communities.
“My number one job is keeping New Yorkers safe, and my focus is, right now, very much on the unfolding situation in Iran,” Hochul said during her remarks.
She extended condolences to the families of American service members who have lost their lives and acknowledged those currently facing danger. “First of all, our hearts go out to the family members of the service members — I believe the number is up to four now of American brave heroes who lost their lives in this enterprise — and to those who are now in harm’s way. And as an abundance of caution, since word first arose, I directed that my intelligence communities, my cyber experts here in the State of New York, coordinate with local law enforcement as well as federal law enforcement to make sure we’re doing everything we can to keep locations secure, whether it’s places of worship for the Jewish communities, whether it’s places of worship for the Muslim communities, or any place of gathering — what we think could be under threat. So we’re increasing our presence at sensitive sites.”
Hochul also spoke directly to Iranian Americans living in New York: “I also want to speak directly to Iranian New Yorkers that you are safe here. We will continue to ensure that you belong here and that you feel that the State of New York is doing everything we can to protect you. And the same with Jewish communities who also feel that there could be retribution against them. And I want to let them know that we’re taking this all very seriously. We’ll not tolerate any hate or retaliation against anyone who calls New York home because of what’s happening.”
The governor criticized Iran’s regime but called for clear answers regarding U.S. objectives following what she described as a major military escalation: “Now, this is also a threat. Iran’s regime has been abhorrent for decades. It oppresses its own people. It supports terrorism. It threatens our allies and pursues dangerous ambitions. No one is ever going to defend that regime. Full stop. But the scale of what is happening now demands answers. This has been described by the President as the largest military offensive the world has ever seen. So, what is the objective here?”
She raised concerns about potential long-term consequences such as increased energy costs due to instability near critical oil transit routes like the Strait of Hormuz: “So these decisions have real consequences. They’re going to have an impact on energy costs. And, the Strait of Hormuz is where the vast majority of the world’s oil comes through. It’s going to have a direct effect on the pump right here in New York State, probably in a matter of days, if not hours, as New Yorkers are going to again see the impact of these decisions outside their own controls.”
Reflecting on past conflicts and regional instability from military actions abroad, Hochul urged caution: “So these are — we’ve been there before. We’ve seen wars launched with promises of swift impact and swift closure. But regions have been left unstable before.”
She concluded by reiterating her call for transparent leadership from Washington: “And we just want — from New York State, we just want honest, steady leadership and to understand that Americans are tired of wars and they do not see how this keeps them safer, which is again my number one priority.”