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Israeli soldiers operate near what the military described as a Hamas command tunnel running partly under UNRWA headquarters, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in the Gaza Strip. (Image: Reuters/Representative)
Israel said Iran’s aggression cannot be overlooked and merits a ‘clear, forceful’ reaction but Tehran has said Israel will pay the price if it is looking for an adventure.
The Israeli war cabinet on Monday said that Iran’s aggression cannot be overlooked and merits a ‘clear, forceful’ reaction, according to a report by Israeli news outlet Channel 12.
They said that Tehran will not be allowed to “establish the equation” which they claim the Islamic nation has tried to set through the attack.
They also said that the Israeli air force which has a squadron of US-made F-16, F-15 and F-35 fighter jets is gearing up for a counter-strike against Iran but did not provide a timeline.
Israel has however clarified that it does not want to spark a wider regional war through its retaliatory action.
The US has urged Israel to exercise restraint and US President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the US will not take part in a counter-offensive against Iran.
Despite Biden’s concerns, the Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant told US defence secretary Lloyd Austin Sunday that Israel has no choice but to respond to the unprecedented missile and drone attack launched by Iran over the weekend.
“Israel is considering next steps and the launch of so many missiles and drones to Israeli territory will be answered with a retaliation,” Israel Defence Forces (IDF) chief Herzi Halevi, chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said Monday.
Iran warned Israel against “any adventure” and said it does not want to escalate tensions in a press release released shortly after Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke to UK foreign secretary David Cameron in a phone call Monday.
“(If Israel) seeks adventure, our next response will be immediate, stronger and more extensive,” Amir-Abdollahian said.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and French President Emmanuel Macron also cautioned against retaliation.
Even Iran said it considered the matter “concluded” unless Israel chose to commit “another mistake”, in which case Iran’s response would be “considerably more severe”.
Abolfazl Amoui, spokesperson for Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, also said that Iran stands prepared to use weapons it has not previously deployed to address any potential escalation by Israel.
“نشهد اليوم كثافة في الاتصالات وسنواجه أي عدوان إسرائيلي وسنرد عليه، وجاهزون لاستخدام أسلحة لم نستخدمها من قبل ولدينا خطط لجميع السيناريوهات وندعو الصهاينة إلى التصرف بعقلانية”المتحدث باسم لجنة الأمن والسياسة الخارجية في البرلمان الإيراني أبو الفضل عموئي في #المشهدية… pic.twitter.com/y6XC7w9Ki8
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) April 15, 2024
“We will confront any Israeli aggression and respond to it. We are ready to use weapons that we have not used before. We have plans for all scenarios and we call on the Zionists to act rationally,” Amoui was quoted as saying by Al-Mayadeen News, an Iran-aligned Lebanese news outlet.
Strikes On Iran’s Nuclear Facilities?
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog, is concerned that Israel may strike Iranian nuclear facilities but said that inspections of Iranian facilities will resume on Tuesday.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said that Iranian strikes did not impact the inspection activity and inspections will resume Tuesday. Iran had closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday over “security considerations”.
“We are always concerned about this possibility,” Grossi said, urging “extreme restraint”.
A report by US broadcaster NBC citing US officials said that Israel may limit itself to striking Iranian proxies given the extent of the damage caused by Iran’s Saturday missile barrage is not as extensive.
(with inputs from Reuters, Axios)
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