In complete coordination with the US, the response to Iran will be given as decided by Israel’s security cabinet.
In particular, Israeli media reports that the council decided on Tuesday night that Israel will respond forcefully to Iran’s ballistic missile attack. However, it will first coordinate with the US as it seeks to target strategic locations in Iran.
The statements of US President Joe Biden, with which he put the brakes on the possibility of an attack on Iran’s nuclear weapons, are also indicative.
“The Israeli response to the attack on Iran should be proportional, and not against nuclear facilities,” emphasized US President Joe Biden, according to a report by the Times Of Israel.
“The answer is no,” Biden told reporters when asked if he supported such a prospect.
The US president noted that Israel has the right to respond to yesterday’s (1/10) Iranian missile attack, but that it should do so proportionately. In fact, he emphasized that the US will impose new sanctions against Iran for the attack.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said yesterday that Iran would face “severe consequences” and that the US would work with Israel to ensure that, without elaborating.
“Don’t target us or Israel”
Earlier, the US warned Iran at the UN Security Council not to target either it or Israel, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the “deadly cycle of eye-for-an-eye violence must be closed” in the Middle East .
“Our actions were defensive in nature,” US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Council.
“Iran does not seek war”
Iran “does not seek war” but Israel is forcing it to react, Iranian President Massoud Pezhezkian says.
Speaking earlier at a news conference in Doha, he warned that Iran “will give a stronger response” if Israel retaliates against yesterday’s strikes.
He said Israel’s goal is to expand violence in the region and accuses Israel of not wanting peace.
He then emphasized that Iran wants to prevent and stop violence.
Iran and Israel exchange threats
“Israel will defend itself. We will take action. And, I assure you, the consequences that Iran will face for its actions will be far greater than they could ever imagine,” Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, told the Council.
Iran’s ambassador Amir Sayed Iravani said Tuesday’s missile attack was carried out “to restore balance and for deterrence purposes”. He added that further escalation could be avoided if Israel stopped the war in Gaza and attacks in Lebanon.
“Iran is fully prepared to take further defensive measures, if necessary, to protect its legitimate interests and defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty against any act of military aggression and unlawful use of force,” he added.
Both Israel and the US have called for sanctions on Iran.
The pounding continues
Israel’s armed forces said more than 240 rockets were fired Wednesday from Lebanon toward northern Israel.
Especially in the afternoon, a barrage of 70 rockets was recorded towards the western Galilee, which hit far from populated areas. A further 30 rockets were launched shortly afterwards, also causing no damage.
One person was slightly injured by broken glass in the West Galilee.
The Israeli military announced the deaths of seven more soldiers killed in fighting on Wednesday, bringing the total toll since the start of the offensive in Lebanon to eight.
The dead soldiers are Harel Ettinger, Ariel Giat, Noam Barzilai, Or Manzour, Nazar Itkin, Alkman Terefe, Ido Breuer and earlier today Eitan Yitzhak Oster.
Earlier, Israel carried out an air strike on Damascus, Syria. The Israeli strike took place in an apartment in a three-story building in the capital’s Mezzeh district. As a result, three people lost their lives.
Two of the three dead are not Syrian citizens. Four other people were injured.
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