Israel’s armed forces chief, Herzi Halevi, has pledged to retaliate against Iran’s unprecedented attack on the country, despite appeals for restraint from world leaders.
Halevi stated on Monday that Israel is weighing its next steps, affirming that the barrage of missiles and drones launched into Israeli territory will be met with a response.
“Israel is considering next steps” and that “the launch of so many missiles and drones to Israeli territory will be answered with a retaliation,” Halevi disclosed.
Tensions have been escalating between Israel and Iran, exacerbated by six months of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hamas in Gaza. Iran’s proxies across the region have intensified attacks on Israel and its allies, citing support for Palestinians in Gaza.
The recent escalation reached a new level when Iran launched its first-ever assault on Israeli territory on Saturday, firing hundreds of missiles and drones in retaliation for a deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1.
The Israeli army reported that most of the incoming weapons were intercepted with assistance from the United States and other allies, resulting in minimal damage.
Despite Western governments warning against further escalation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his war cabinet late Monday to discuss potential next steps, as reported by Israeli media.
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Iran has previously stated that it would consider the matter “concluded” unless Israel retaliated, and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told his Chinese counterpart in a call on Tuesday that Iran was “willing to exercise restraint” and had no intention of further escalating tensions.
The situation remains tense as both Israel and Iran weigh their options amidst international scrutiny and calls for de-escalation.
