WE NEED CALM, NOT A STORM...
Appeal to Israel over its planned reply to Iran attack
ISRAEL was strongly urged to stay calm by the West last night as its military chiefs promised to launch a revenge attack on Iran, threatening to spark a huge Middle East conflict.
But even though America does not support an Israeli escalation they reiterated they are determined to help defend their ally against further direct attacks from Tehran.
Yesterday, Israel’s embattled war cabinet met for a third crisis meeting in 48 hours.
Military chief Lt Gen Herzi Halevi confirmed that Iran’s missile and drone strike at the weekend “will be met with a response”.
Halevi spoke on a visit to the Nevatim air base, which Israel says suffered light damage in the Iranian attack.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
has been huddling with top officials to discuss the possible response.
Sources say his war-planners want to “hit Iran hard” but do not want to spark a war, a near-impossible task if they attack within Iran.
Iran has made it clear that any of Israel’s allies helping it retaliate will become targets for its proxy forces in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Planes
That includes any country helping Israel with “refuelling” planes.
Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz — who called for Israeli strikes as the Iran attack was underway
— vowed that his country will “exact the price” when the timing is right. A security source said: “An Israeli retaliation inside Iran would have catastrophic consequences — forcing the momentum towards war.
“Iran’s regime would feel it cannot lose face with its people but perhaps more importantly to the military, with its proxies Lebanese Hezbollah and other Middle East networks.
“Israel’s next move will be of enormous significance which could echo for many years in the region with implications for the west.”
An Israeli war between Iran and Israel would inevitably prompt the US in helping defend its ally.
The attack by Iran, in response to an April 1 Israeli strike on an Iranian consul building in Syria, killing 13 including two top generals, has been largely viewed as a huge fail.
Oil
Meanwhile, oil prices could surge above $100 (€94) a barrel — hitting drivers at the pumps — if the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates.
The price of Brent crude oil actually fell back below $90 (€84) yesterday.
But experts warn the price could jump if the conflict in the Middle East worsens.