Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
Israel will respond to the Iranian missile and drone attack when the time is right, war cabinet Minister Benny Gantz said in a statement on April 14, calling on the country to strengthen the “strategic alliance and the regional cooperation” that allowed it to weather the unprecedented overnight attack.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched around 300 missiles and drones at Israel during the attack, which was codenamed “Operation Honest Promise”. The attack was a response to the April 1 Israeli strike on the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus. The attack claimed the lives of at least 13 people, including senior commanders from the Guards.
Israel alleged that 99% of the Iranian projectiles were intercepted by its military and allies, yet it admitted damage at Nevatim Air Base. There were no fatalities however.
“This event is not over – the strategic alliance and the regional cooperation system that we built and stood its significant test need to be strengthened precisely now. Israel proved yesterday that it is an anchor of military and technological power, and an anchor of security in the Middle East,” Gantz said in a statement.
“Faced with the threat of Iran – we will build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran, in the way and at the time that suits us. And most importantly – in the face of the desire of our enemies to harm us, we will unite and become stronger,” Gantz added.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry stressed that Israel has the right to self-defense and said that that “Iran must pay a price for its aggression.”
In a statement, the ministry said that the “initial price” must be the immediate recognition of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror organization, as well as new sanctions against Iran, especially those targeting Tehran’s ballistic missile program”.
“Last night, a large-scale and unprecedented attack — consisting of hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles — was launched by Iran against the State of Israel,” the ministry said. “This attack proves what Israel has been saying for years: Iran is the one behind the terrorist attacks in the region, and is also the greatest threat to regional stability and world order.”
The ministry also noted that Iran-backed forces in Iraq, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, all “supplemented” the Iranian attack with their own aerial assaults on Israel.
“Just like any other country, Israel has the right to defend itself in the face of Iran’s massive attack. Israel successfully defended itself against Iran’s aggression and will continue to do so in the future,” it said.
Despite making several threats, Israel does not appear to be in rush to respond against Iran. Pressure from the United States may be the reason.
According to The New York Times, U.S. President Joe Biden dissuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from greenlighting an immediate retaliatory strike against Iran after the attack. The report said that several members of Israel’s war cabinet had been in favor of launching a retaliatory attack against Iran before the call.
In addition, White House National Security spokesman John Kirby told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the U.S. was not seeking “a wider war in the region” after it assisted Israel to defend against the Iranian attack.
“We don’t seek an escalation,” Kirby said, noting that President Biden told Netanyahu during their call last night that the U.S. will continue to support Israel’s “right to self-defense.”
It’s worth noting that Iran has already warned both Israel and the U.S. that any hostile move will be met with an even harsher attack.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
