Israel has vowed to respond to Iran’s unprecedented attack with drones and missiles over the weekend despite Western calls for calm, as the Middle East teeters on the brink of all-out war.
Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said Israel is still considering what steps it will take, but was unequivocal in declaring that Iran’s bombing of his country on April 13 “will receive a response.”
Leaks from Israel’s war cabinet have reportedly suggested that a “painful” revenge attack on Iran is being planned that will not cause mass casualties, although hardliners have demanded that Netanyahu show he is willing to “turn back.” crazy”.
As Benjamin Netanyahu continues to debate what retaliation he will unleash, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to use a phone call with the Israeli prime minister today to urge him to show “restraint.”
But leading defense voices, including respected former minister Ben Wallace, have urged Western leaders to support Israel in its response to “bullies” like Iran, and even take on the regime themselves if necessary.
Herzi Halevi, chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, speaks during a meeting with pilots at the Nevatim Air Force base in southern Israel.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement on Iran’s missile attack on Israel, in the House of Commons, in London, on April 15, 2024.
These images show the launch of an Iranian missile, said to be the first missile launched towards Israel in the Tehran attack over the weekend.
“Everyone agrees that Israel must respond,” an Israeli official told the Washington Post. “The question is how to respond and when to respond.”
It comes as the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog expressed concern on Monday about the possibility of Israel targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, announcing that inspections paused on Sunday and Monday would resume anyway.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said Iran temporarily closed its nuclear facilities for “security considerations” and that, although they reopened them on Monday, he kept IAEA inspectors away “until we see that the situation is completely calm.”
When asked about the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, Grossi said: “We are always concerned about this possibility.” He urged “extreme restraint.”
As Benjamin Netanyahu walks the “tightrope” between escalation and deterrence, former Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace did not mince his words of warning.
“The only way to deal with a bully is to retaliate,” he said. “I have come to the conclusion that the only option when Iran and Russia attack is to respond with double the force and not stop until they get the message.”
Saturday’s Iranian attack marked the first time Iran launched a direct military attack against Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi expressed concern on Monday about the possibility of Israel targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.
The attack occurred less than two weeks after an alleged Israeli attack in Syria that killed two Iranian generals at an Iranian consular building.
The Israeli military says 99 percent of the around 350 drones and missiles launched by Iran were intercepted, with help from other countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and France.
Despite the unprecedented scale of the attack, experts have said it exposed Iran’s “mediocre” arsenal, pointing out how its outdated aircraft and defenses would be no match for Israel’s in the event of a full-scale war.
“I think the attack, which was designed to be spectacular but not fatal, really shows the limits of Iran’s deterrence,” Ali Vaez, who directs the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group.
He added that if Iran’s regional deterrence wanes, Tehran “will likely consider the ultimate means of deterrence, which comes in the form of nuclear weapons,” adding that “they have never been this close.”
Israel today threatened airstrikes against Iran in retaliation for a barrage of 350 missiles amid fears the conflict could escalate into an all-out war in the Middle East. Pictured: Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as Iranian missiles are intercepted by air defenses.
Iran could be trying to supply itself with modern aircraft and weapons with help from Russia, according to a Washington Post report last night, which suggested that Moscow had made promises to its ally to help secure its defense against Israel.
Citing intelligence officials, the newspaper reported that Russia is “moving forward” on secretly negotiated deals to supply Iran with Su-35 fighter-bombers, which could help dramatically upgrade Iran’s aging air force.
Moscow also promised technical help with Iranian spy satellites and assistance in building rockets with the goal of launching more satellites, the officials reportedly said.
Rumors about the IRGC becoming a terrorist organization in the UK have been swirling for months, and since the attack Sunak has come under increasing pressure to designate Iran’s military as a terrorist group following its attack on Israel.
The Prime Minister condemned Tehran as a “despotic regime” following its unprecedented missile bombardment at the weekend.
Sunak praised RAF pilots who helped shoot down more than 300 drones and missiles fired at Israel by Iran on Saturday night and said defending Israel’s security was a “non-negotiable” priority for the UK.
But he faced calls from both the Conservatives and Labor to take tougher action against Tehran, including formally banning the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
An anti-Israel billboard with an image of Iranian missiles is seen on a street in Tehran, Iran, April 15, 2024.
An Israeli army F-15 fighter jet flies over central Israel on April 15, 2024.
Israel’s ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, backed the move, saying Iran was “also a threat to the UK”.
She told LBC: “Maybe the UK will be next to have these types of drones… they won’t hesitate to do it here.”
In the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Sunak said: ‘With this attack, Iran has once again shown its true colours. They intend to sow chaos… to further destabilize the Middle East. We are working urgently with our allies to de-escalate the situation and prevent further bloodshed.
“We want calm to prevail and we are directing all our diplomatic efforts to that end.”
Sunak also acknowledged that Iran’s behavior, including the actions of the IRGC, “represents a significant threat to the security of the United Kingdom.”
The IRGC operates as an elite military force for the Iranian regime and works closely with Hamas and Hezbollah, which have already been designated terrorist groups. Outlawing the IRGC would limit its ability to operate in the UK by making it a crime to deal with or promote it. It would also effectively label Iran a terrorist state.
But Whitehall sources warned that banning the IRGC would make it impossible to speak directly to the organisation, eliminating a valuable secondary diplomatic channel.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron resists this move and has spoken of the need for “diplomatic channels as a route to reducing tensions”, including over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman urged the Prime Minister to “put the security of the UK first”, adding: “We have known for years that the IRGC is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.” Sir Iain Duncan Smith told the Prime Minister: “All roads lead back to Tehran when it comes to the terrible violence and wars in the Middle East.”
Labor also backed tougher measures against the IRGC. Sir Keir Starmer said Iran was “a regime that sponsors terrorism throughout the Middle East and beyond, murders and represses its own people and supports Putin’s war efforts in Ukraine”.