Israel weighs up response to Iran attack – threat from Tehran
Published: Tuesday, Apr 16th 2024, 17:10
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In Israel, high-ranking government representatives and the war cabinet have continued to discuss a response to the major Iranian attack. According to a report on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the reaction of the Jewish state must be intelligent.
Tehran would have to wait nervously to see when the backlash would come, as had happened to Israel. Iran responded promptly and once again warned Israel of a counter-attack. However, it is still unclear what form a possible Israeli response might take.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in a telephone conversation with Qatar's Emir Hamad Al Thani, according to the web portal of his presidential office: "The slightest action (by Israel) against Iran's national interests will have extensive and painful consequences." In the event of a military response from Israel, the Iranian reaction would be "at least ten times more drastic" than the first attacks, the country's Security Council had announced. So far, Iran has chosen the least severe form of punishment for Israel, according to the Council's statement. Iran has recently warned Israel several times against a military response.
In Israel, consultations between high-ranking government representatives and the war cabinet have been in full swing since the attack. No final decision has yet been made in this important committee. It is clear that Israel does not want to leave the Iranian attack unanswered, even according to the country's military leadership.
Israel: "political offensive" also launched against Iran
The Kan radio station reported, citing a high-ranking official, that Israel had promised to inform the USA before a possible counter-attack. This is intended to give US troops in the region time to prepare for Iranian retaliatory measures. In addition to the possibility of a counter-strike, Israel's Foreign Minister Katz said a "political offensive" against the Islamic Republic was also underway.
"This morning I sent letters to 32 countries and spoke to dozens of foreign ministers and leading representatives around the world," he wrote on the X platform, formerly Twitter. He called for sanctions to be imposed on Iran's missile programme and for the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards to be declared a terrorist organization. This is a way to slow down and weaken Tehran. "Iran must be stopped now - before it is too late."
Putin on the phone with Iran's President Raisi
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on all sides in the Middle East conflict to exercise restraint in a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi. In the conversation, Putin expressed his hope that there would not be another round of confrontation, the Kremlin press service reported on Tuesday. An escalation could have catastrophic consequences for the entire region. Russia has not explicitly condemned Iran's missile attack on Israel. According to Kremlin sources, Raisi emphasized in a conversation with Putin that the attack was a limited strike. Tehran was not interested in a further escalation. Russia and Iran are considered allies.
Apparently no help from Saudi Arabia in defending against Iran attack
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, which is allied with the USA, did not help defend against Iran's major attack on Israel, according to Saudi defense ministry circles. The Iranian drones and missiles had crossed Iraqi and Jordanian airspace, but not Saudi airspace, the German Press Agency learned from ministry circles in Riyadh on Tuesday. Reports of cooperation between the secret services were also false, because Israel and the USA already had "all the necessary information about Iranian weapons" as well as their capabilities and speeds.
A report by the Saudi Arabia-funded news channel Al-Arabija spoke of a "clarification" - following Israeli media reports about Saudi Arabia's alleged assistance. The Israeli news website Kan had reported, citing a source with connections to the Saudi royal family, that the kingdom's armed forces were apparently involved. The source was quoted as saying that "all suspicious objects" were intercepted in Saudi airspace.
Fighting and attacks continue in the Gaza Strip
Meanwhile, fighting and attacks continue in the Gaza Strip. With a view to the sealed-off coastal strip, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called for new efforts by all countries with influence to ease the dangerous situation in the Middle East. The devastating humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip must be ended, the attacks in the occupied West Bank must stop and the risk of an escalation of the conflict must be prevented, Türk said in Geneva.
Israel continues to obstruct the import and distribution of aid supplies in the Gaza Strip, said Türk. This is prohibited under international law, as is the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure. He also demanded the release of the hostages abducted from Israel in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, a ceasefire and full access for all humanitarian aid workers in order to alleviate the plight of the civilian population. The people were living in devastating conditions and were not safe from new military strikes anywhere.
Israel's pavilion for the Venice Art Biennale remains closed
The Gaza war is also overshadowing the cultural scene. The Israeli pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale is not opening at this year's edition due to political protest. The artist and curators of the pavilion will open the exhibition once an agreement has been reached on a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of hostages held by the Islamist Hamas, according to a statement. There had previously been concerns about protests and boycotts by critics of Israel.
Baerbock: Don't add fuel to the fire
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wants to speak with Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Minister Benny Gantz this Wednesday. She called on Iran and Israel to stop fueling the crisis in the Middle East ahead of her surprise visit to Israel, which she had planned to start on Tuesday. "Nobody should add fuel to the fire now," said the Green politician at a meeting with her Jordanian colleague Aiman al-Safadi in Berlin on Tuesday. This applies above all to Iran and its proxies in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon or the Houthi in Yemen.
Jordan: Do not want to become another war zone
Al-Safadi said of his country's defense against Iranian drones and missiles attacking Israel: "We don't want Jordan to be endangered any more. This is a clear message that we are sending to everyone" - to Iran, but also to Israel. Jordan lies between the two countries.
During the Iranian attack on Israel on Sunday night, the armed forces of US ally Jordan shot down several Iranian missiles. Everything will be done to preserve Jordan's sovereignty, said Al-Safadi. The attack had also directly endangered Jordan. He emphasized: "We do not want Jordan to become another war zone."
©Keystone/SDA
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