Israel allies urge restraint as chief of military vows ‘response’ to Iran
ISRAEL faced pressure from allies yesterday to show restraint and avoid an escalation of conflict in the Middle East as it considered how to respond to Iran’s weekend missile and drone attack.
Iran’s attack on Saturday marked the first time the country has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the former’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The attack happened less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals in a consular building.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned his war cabinet for the second time in less than 24 hours, a government source said.
Israel’s military chief has said his country will respond to Iran’s missile strike.
Lt Gen Herzi Halevi added that Israel is still considering its steps, but said the Iranian strike ‘will be met with a response’.
Lt Gen Halevi spoke during a visit to the Nevatim airbase, which Israel says suffered light damage in the Iranian attack.
World leaders have been urging Israel not to retaliate after Iran launched an attack involving hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
The Israeli military says 99% of the drones and missiles were intercepted, with the help of other countries including the US, UK and France.
Despite the reported interceptions, Iran has called the attack a success.
Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel’s six-month war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The US was not informed by Iran in advance about its attack on Israel, the Pentagon said yesterday, adding that Washington did not seek a conflict with Tehran.
Iran’s attack has increased fears of open warfare between itself and Israel and heightened concerns that violence rooted in the Gaza war is spreading further in the region.
Wary of the dangers, President Joe Biden has told Mr Netanyahu the United States will not take part in any Israeli counteroffensive against Iran.
Since October 7, 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 metres inside Lebanese territory overnight.
It appeared to be the first such known incident since the Gaza war erupted, although there have been months of exchanges of fire between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
‘We’re on the edge of the cliff and we have to move away from it,’ Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief, told Spanish radio station Onda Cero. ‘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. Washington and United Nations secretary-general António Guterres have also issued calls for restraint. Countries including France, Belgium and Germany summoned their Iranian ambassadors. The French foreign ministry said it was working with its partners to de-escalate the situation.
Russia has refrained from criticising its ally Iran in public over the strikes but expressed concern about the risk of escalation and also called for restraint.
‘Further escalation is in no one’s interests,’ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Iran mounted the attack in response to a suspected Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers, including two senior commanders.
Its attack, involving more than 300 missiles and drones, caused only modest damage in Israel and no deaths.
Most were shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome defence system and with help from the US, Britain, France and Jordan.
In Gaza, where over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive, according to Gaza Health Ministry figures, Iran’s action has drawn applause.
In Washington, Mr Biden reiterated US commitment to Israel’s security ahead of a meeting with Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
Mr Sudani, speaking with Mr Biden, said their views may be divergent about what is happening in the region but they both want to stop the conflict expanding. UK prime minister Rishi Sunak said the Group of Seven major democracies were working on a package of coordinated measures against Iran.
‘I spoke to my fellow G7 leaders, we are united in our condemnation of this attack,’ Mr Sunak told parliament.
Italy, which holds the presidency of the G7, said it was open to new sanctions against individuals engaged against Israel.
In an interview with Reuters, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said new sanctions would need the backing of all the G7. He suggested any new measures would be focused on individuals rather than whole nations.
‘If we need to have more sanctions for people clearly engaged
Escalation is ‘in no one’s interests’
Attack caused flight disruptions
against Israel, supporting for example terrorism, supporting Hamas, it is possible to do it,’ Mr Tajani said.
Iran’s attack has caused travel disruption, with at least a dozen airlines cancelling or rerouting flights, and Europe’s aviation regulator reaffirming advice to airlines to use caution in Israeli and Iranian airspace.
Israel remained on high alert, but authorities lifted some measures that had included a ban on some school activities and caps on large gatherings.
Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Tehran had informed the United States that the attack on Israel would be limited and for selfdefence, and that regional neighbours had been informed of the planned strikes 72 hours in advance.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said yesterday, however, that no pre-arranged agreement was made with any country prior to the weekend attack.
US officials said Tehran had not warned Washington.