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Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel emphasized on Wednesday that his country retains sole authority over decisions regarding responses to Iran’s extensive air assault from earlier this week. This stance dismisses calls for measured reactions from close allies, suggesting that Israel alone will chart its course of action.
Despite not specifying the exact timing or approach, Israel’s pledge to respond to Iran’s unprecedented attack has the region on edge, given the lingering tensions from the persistent conflict in Gaza.
Allies of Israel have urged moderation in the face of the attack, with similar sentiments echoed during the recent visits of the British and German foreign ministers on Wednesday.
Iran’s president cautioned against any infringement on Iranian territory, threatening a “massive and harsh” countermeasure. Meanwhile, hostilities escalated between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which launched a salvo of rockets and drones targeting northern Israel. The Israeli army reported that the attack left 14 soldiers injured, with six sustaining severe wounds. Israel retaliated by striking deep within Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah.
In a Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu conveyed his gratitude to the visiting foreign ministers for their countries’ support. Nevertheless, he asserted that Israel would independently decide its response despite the “various proposals and advice” from allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, who assisted Israel in repelling Iran’s drone and missile attack.
“Let me be unequivocal: Israel will determine its own course of action. The State of Israel will do what it deems necessary to defend itself,” Netanyahu declared.
Though the rhetoric was tough, it seems improbable that Israel would attack Iran directly without the backing of its primary ally, the United States. However, it might resort to covert operations, such as targeting senior Iranian officials or Iran-affiliated groups in other countries or employing cyber warfare.
The potential Iranian reaction remains uncertain, considering the heightened tension and the risk of triggering a regional conflict due to missteps by either side.
The Biden administration on Tuesday announced plans for new sanctions against Iran, coordinating an international rebuke of the attack while urging restraint on all sides. Earlier in the week, U.S. officials reported that Biden informed Netanyahu that the U.S. would abstain from any offensive moves against Iran.
Over the weekend, Iran launched an onslaught of missiles and drones at Israel, responding to a presumed Israeli strike on the Iranian embassy in Syria on April 1, which left 12 dead, including two Iranian generals.
Israel reported that it and its allies successfully intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones. The attack wounded a 7-year-old girl, but did not cause significant deaths or damage. While Israel and Iran have been engaged in a shadow conflict for years, the weekend assault marked the first direct Iranian military strike on Israel.
As tensions mount, Israel’s allies reiterated calls for restraint. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock each visited the region separately, advocating for calm.
Cameron remarked that “the Israelis appear poised to take action” against Iran, but expressed hope they would do so “wisely, firmly, and with minimal escalation.” His comments came after meeting with Israel’s largely symbolic President Isaac Herzog.
Baerbock asserted Germany’s “solidarity with Israel” while calling for restraint.
“All parties must act with prudence and accountability. This is not a call for capitulation; it is about prudent moderation, which is synonymous with fortitude,” she stated to reporters. “Israel has already demonstrated strength with its defensive victory over the weekend.”
The ministers indicated plans to pursue additional international sanctions against Iran.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi cautioned Israel against retaliation during a relocated annual military parade, which did not air live on state television, possibly due to concerns about potential attacks.
Through Iran’s official IRNA news agency, Raisi noted the weekend attack’s limited scale and emphasized that if Iran had wished to execute a larger assault, “nothing would be left of the Zionist regime.”
Regional hostilities have intensified since the October 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Palestinian factions supported by Iran. That assault claimed around 1,200 Israeli lives and saw militants capture approximately 250 hostages. Israel responded with one of its deadliest military campaigns in recent memory, resulting in nearly 34,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza health officials, who do not distinguish between combatants and civilians in their count but report most of the deceased as women and children.
Following major offensives that devastated Gaza’s primary cities—Gaza City and Khan Younis—Israel withdrew most of its forces. Yet, officials state that the conflict continues, with plans to deploy ground troops in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, where over half of the territory’s 2.3 million residents have sought refuge from the violence elsewhere.
Hamas still holds around 130 hostages, with about a quarter presumed dead. International attempts at mediating a cease-fire and securing hostages’ release have seen limited progress.
Hezbollah, a key Iranian ally, has been engaging in near-daily exchanges of fire with Israel along the border since the conflict began, keeping the situation at a simmering point that could escalate into full-blown warfare. Iran-backed factions in Iraq and Syria have also carried out attacks, while Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have targeted international shipping in the Red Sea, portraying it as a blockade against Israel.