The map that takes us one step closer to World War Three
Israeli military chiefs have vowed to respond to Iran.
There are fears Israel is considering target Iran’s nuclear facilities as part of a response to the barrage of drones and missiles sent over the border over the weekend.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his war cabinet to decide the next steps in his revenge plan – with reports suggesting that a ‘painful’ strike is being prepared.
And this morning, Iran’s Foreign Ministry deputy for political affairs Bagheri said his country will respond ‘within seconds’ if Israel retaliates, igniting concerns that the conflict could take over the Middle East.
But the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog urged for ‘extreme restraint’ amid the tensions in the Middle East that could soon reach boiling point.
Director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi said Iran closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday over ‘security considerations’.
They reopened on Monday but IAEA inspectors were kept away ‘until we see that the situation is completely calm’.
He said: ‘We are going to resume on Tuesday. This has not had an impact on our inspection activity.’
When asked about the possibility of an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, he added: ‘We are always concerned about this possibility.’
The UN also warned that retaliatory military attacks between Israel and Iran may constitute ‘international crime of aggression’.
A team of experts warned: ‘These retaliatory strikes violate state sovereignty and represent a dangerous escalation of conflict in a region already on a knife-edge.
‘Both strikes may also constitute the international crime of aggression by civilian and military leaders responsible.’
These comments came after Israel’s military chief said the Iranian strike will not go unanswered – even if Iran signalled it considers the matter closed.
Herzi Halevi doubled down: ‘This launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles, and drones into Israeli territory will be met with a response.’
While Iran’s attack caused no deaths and limited damage, it has increased fears of open warfare between the two archenemies and fuelled concerns that violence rooted in the Gaza war is spreading.
Lt Gen Herzi Halevi echoed the comments: ‘Look, as we look forward, we weigh our steps, and this launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles, UAVs to the territory of the State of Israel will be met with a response.’
Neither specified a course of action, or give a timescale.
Iran launched its weekend attack as retaliation for Israel’s strike on April 1 on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, in which 12 people were killed.
Israel has also been carrying out strikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon for months.
Since the war in Gaza began in October, clashes have erupted between Israel and Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
Israel said four of its soldiers were wounded hundreds of meters inside Lebanese territory overnight.
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief, told Spanish radio station Onda Cero: ‘We’re on the edge of the cliff and we have to move away from it. We have to step on the brakes and reverse gear.’
French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and British foreign secretary David Cameron made similar appeals.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby declined on Monday to say if Joe Biden urged Netanyahu in talks on Saturday night to exercise restraint in responding to Iran.
‘We don’t want to see a war with Iran. We don’t want to see a regional conflict,’ he told a briefing, adding that it was for Israel to decide ‘whether and how they’ll respond.’
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