Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Region on edge as Gaza war spills over
RESIDENTS reported heavy Israeli fire in central Gaza yesterday, with regional tensions soaring after Iran threatened reprisals over a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals.
As ceasefire talks aiming to pause the six-month-old war dragged on, fears that Iran could soon launch an attack on Israel spurred France to recommend its citizens avoid travelling to the region.
Mohammed al-Rayes, 61, said he fled Israeli “air strikes and artillery shelling” in Nuseirat, central Gaza, overnight. “It was all fire and destruction, with so many martyrs lying in the street,” he said.
The latest bombardments in Gaza came after Israel said it was strengthening air defences and paused leave for combat units, following a deadly April 1 air strike that destroyed Iran’s consulate building in Damascus.
Iran blamed Israel, its arch-foe, which has stepped up strikes against Iran-linked targets in Syria since the Gaza war began. Among the targets have been fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement in Syria. The group has also exchanged regular deadly fire with Israel over the Lebanese border since October.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned on Wednesday that Israel “must be punished and will be punished”, days after one of his advisers said Israeli embassies are “no longer safe”.
In a post on social media platform X, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said “when the Zionist regime breaches the immunity of diplomatic persons and places” and the UN Security Council fails to condemn it, “legitimate defence ... is a necessity”.
“Iran does not seek to expand the scope of the war,” he wrote.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz replied on X that “if Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack Iran”.
United States President Joe Biden said earlier in the week that Iran was “threatening to launch a significant attack on Israel”, and pledged “ironclad” support for its regional ally despite diplomatic
tensions over Israel’s military conduct in Gaza.
Yesterday, France warned its nationals against travelling to Iran, Israel, Lebanon or the Palestinian territories, after the US in Israel announced it was restricting the movements of its diplomats over security fears.
Truce talks which started on Sunday in Cairo have brought no breakthrough on a plan.
Members of the UN Security Council also failed to reach a consensus on Thursday on a bid by Palestinians for full UN membership, meaning the longshot effort is now likely headed for a more formal council vote.
The Palestinians, who have had observer status at the world body since 2012, have lobbied for years to gain full membership, which would amount to recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Russia and Germany called on both Iran and Israel to exercise restraint. |