Iran warns Israel against 'reckless' retaliation
View: Alarms blare in Jerusalem as items are targeted from above.
Iran cautioned Israel that if they undertake any "unwise" retaliation to their one-of-a-kind air raid, they would face a "significantly more powerful answer."
Over 300 drones and missiles were fired at Israel by Iran during the night after Israel attacked Iran's consulate in Syria on April 1st.
Israel announced that they, along with their allies, successfully intercepted 99% of the weapons.
This was the initial time Iran has directly attacked Israel, as the two nations have been involved in a hidden conflict for many years.
Leaders from across the globe have called for caution as worries increase over a significant rise in tensions in the Middle Eastern region.
After the assault, Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu pledged "we shall conquer together", however, it is uncertain the strategy that their nation intends to take.
Israel's top officials in charge of defense and foreign affairs issued a warning last week that if there were any hostile actions from Iran towards Israel, Israel would respond by launching a counterattack within Iranian borders.
An assault had been expected following a bombing at the Damascus embassy which resulted in the deaths of seven IRGC members.
According to a report from AFP, Ebrahim Raisi, the President of Iran, declared that if Israel, also known as the Zionist regime, or those who support them exhibit dangerous actions, they will face a forceful and more powerful reaction.
The IRGC of Iran, which is known as the strongest part of its armed forces, has claimed to have conducted an attack. The reason behind the attack is retaliation against Israel's repeated offenses, such as the assault on the Iranian embassy's headquarters in Damascus.
After the strikes, the UN Iranian delegation declared that the situation was finished.
The chief of staff for the armed forces in Iran, Maj Gen Mohammad Bagheri, reported on state TV that the US had been given a warning through Switzerland. The warning stated that if the US provided support for Israel's retaliation, their military bases in the area would become a target.
According to Reuters news agency, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Foreign Minister of Iran, stated that he informed the US that any attacks towards Israel will only occur in a small capacity and will solely serve the purpose of defending themselves.
Joe Biden, the President of the United States, had a conversation with Mr Netanyahu after the beginning of the Iranian attack and assured him of the United States' strong promise to safeguard the security of Israel.
He criticized the extreme attack on Israel and expressed that the United States offered assistance to Israel and its associates in destroying most of the missiles and drones.
Observation: Iranian drone attack is a significant increase in hostility- spokesperson for the Israeli military. Viewing: The spokesperson for the Israeli military has reported that the recent drone attack from Iran is a noteworthy step up in hostility towards them.
Israel was surrounded by the sound of sirens, while loud explosions echoed throughout Jerusalem. The air defence systems sprang into action, successfully shooting down objects flying above the city.
According to Israeli intelligence sources cited by The New York Times, military installations in the occupied Golan Heights were the main objectives of the attack.
According to a spokesperson from the Israeli military, they have fired approximately 360 different types of weapons, including 170 drones that explode, 30 missiles that cruise, and 120 ballistic missiles. However, Israel has reported that there is minimal damage caused by the attacks.
The spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, reported that a few Iranian missiles have impacted Israel, leading to minimal harm to a military installation, without any harm to people.
According to him, a young girl from the Bedouin community who is 10 years old sustained grave injuries from shrapnel after debris fell in the southern Arad region.
Leaders from around the globe are currently contemplating how to react to the significant increase in hostility between Israel and Iran. Numerous leaders are speaking out against the attack and cautioning against any further increase in tension.
Mr Biden stated that he plans to gather together the other G7 leaders so that they can work together to develop a cohesive diplomatic reaction to Iran's bold aggression.
Vanessa Frazier, who is the current president of the UN Security Council, has announced that an urgent gathering will take place later.
António Guterres, the head of the United Nations, released a statement in which he expressed his disapproval regarding the significant aggression exhibited by Iran against Israel.
He urged a prompt end to the conflicts and for everyone involved to use the most restraint possible.
The strikes were labeled as "reckless" by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and the European Union's foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell has expressed that it poses a significant risk to regional security.
The Chinese foreign ministry has advised for moderation, calling it the most recent overflow situation arising from the conflict in Gaza. On the other hand, Russia's foreign ministry is expressing great worry regarding yet another risky escalation.
France advised its nationals in Iran to evacuate the country for a while as there is a possibility of military escalation.
On Sunday, while addressing the public at the Vatican, Pope Francis passionately urged for an end to any action that may provoke violence leading to heightened conflict in the Middle East.
Tensions in the Middle East have risen following the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October. The attacks resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 civilians and the capture of over 250 hostages.
The military operation carried out by Israel in Gaza has resulted in the death of 33,729 individuals, a vast majority of whom were innocent civilians, as reported by the health ministry administered by Hamas.
In the meantime, the intelligence agency of Israel, Mossad, declared that the negotiators from Hamas denied the latest plan proposed by the facilitators during the peace discussions.
The statement revealed that Hamas' Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar has no intention of agreeing to a humanitarian deal or releasing the hostages. It also accused him of using the tension with Iran to his advantage.
Hamas announced over the weekend that they are still insisting on a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, as well as a full Israeli retreat from the Gaza Strip. Additionally, they are requesting that Palestinians who were displaced during the fighting be allowed to return to their homes, and are asking for more humanitarian aid to be sent to the territory.
