Jerusalem: Israel and Iran traded threats after Tehran’s first ever direct attack on its arch foe sharply heightened Middle East tensions and as the Gaza war ground on with no truce in sight.
Israel’s military chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi on Monday vowed “a response” after Iran and its allies launched a barrage of over 300 missiles, drones and rockets at Israel at the weekend. Iran said its large-scale attack was an act of self-defence following a deadly Israeli air strike on its consulate in Syria, and that it would consider the matter “concluded” unless Israel retaliated.
However, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi also warned that “the slightest action against Iran’s interests will definitely be met with a severe, extensive and painful response”.
US President Joe Biden stressed on Monday that “the United States is committed to Israel’s security” but also that he wants to prevent the conflict from spreading.
Washington, Israel’s top ally and arms supplier, has made clear it will not join Israel in any attack on their common adversary Iran, a senior US official said. World leaders have urged restraint since Iran’s attack on Israel, which has sparked a flurry of crisis diplomacy and sent up oil prices while depressing stock markets.
In Gaza, where the war raged on, Biden said, “we’re committed to a ceasefire that will bring the hostages home and prevent the conflict from spreading beyond what it already has”. Israel kept its bombing of targets in Gaza, the coastal territory that has been largely devastated by more than six months of war and a siege on its 2.4 million people.
Since the Iranian attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has twice convened his war cabinet, set up after Hamas launched the October 7 attack that sparked the bloodiest ever Gaza war.
Israel was weighing its options after the Iranian drone and missile onslaught, which caused little damage as Israeli defences intercepted most projectiles, helped by US, British and French forces and regional allies.
It remained unclear when Israel might strike and whether it would target Iran directly or attack its interests or allies abroad, including in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
In Iran, nuclear facilities were temporarily closed over “security considerations”, said International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi.
Netanyahu said in a message on X that “the international community must continue to stand united in resisting this Iranian aggression, which threatens world peace”. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he had launched a diplomatic offensive against Iran by writing to 32 governments and speaking with dozens of politicians.