Israeli Military Chief Pledges Response to Iran’s Attack Amid Calls for Restraint
1 min read
Israel’s top military commander, Herzi Halevi, has made a firm commitment to retaliate against Iran following its unprecedented assault on the country, despite appeals for moderation from global leaders.
Throughout six months of conflict between Israel and the Iran-supported militant group Hamas in Gaza, Iran’s proxies across the region have escalated attacks on Israel and its allies, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Tensions had already reached a peak before Iran initiated its inaugural strike on Israeli territory on Saturday, unleashing hundreds of missiles and drones in response to a deadly April 1 attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
While the Israeli military reported that the majority of the weapons were intercepted with assistance from the United States and other allies, resulting in minimal damage, concerns over escalation were raised by Western governments, including those supporting Israel’s defense. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened with his war cabinet late Monday to deliberate on subsequent actions, according to Israeli media reports.
Iran had previously indicated that it would consider the matter resolved unless Israel retaliated. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian conveyed to his Chinese counterpart during a call on Tuesday that Iran was prepared to show restraint and had no intentions of further escalating tensions.
About The Author
