Open warfare feared as Iran, Israel trade threats after attack
JERUSALEM—Iran warned Israel and the United States on Sunday of a “much larger response” if there is any retaliation for its mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory overnight, as Israel said “the campaign is not over yet.”
The threat of open warfare loomed between the arch Middle East foes and might drag the United States into a conflict as Washington said America did not seek hostilities with Iran but would not hesitate to protect its forces and Israel.
Iran told Washington not to back any military action from its ally.
“Our response will be much larger than tonight’s military action if Israel retaliates against Iran,” armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri told state TV, adding that Tehran warned Washington that any backing of Israeli retaliation would result in US bases being targeted.
Modest damage
The commander of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, also warned Tehran would retaliate against any Israeli attack on its interests, officials or citizens.
Israel reported modest damage and reopened its airspace after Iran launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israeli territory, while the United States said it would discuss a diplomatic response with major powers on Sunday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed his country would achieve victory after the military said it shot down almost all the more than 300 drones and missiles launched by Iran in a sharp escalation of the Middle East conflict.
Syria bombing
The Iranian attack came after it accused Israel of bombing its consulate in Syria on April 1 and killed top Revolutionary Guards commanders. The Damascus strike followed months of clashes between Israel and Iran’s regional allies, triggered by the war in Gaza.
Sunday’s attack from hundreds of missiles and drones, mostly launched from inside Iran, caused only modest damage in Israel as most were shot down with the help of allies including the US, Britain and Jordan.
“We intercepted, we repelled, together we shall win,” Netanyahu said on social media.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said despite thwarting the attack, the military campaign was not over and “we must be prepared for every scenario.”
Israel’s Channel 12 TV cited an unnamed Israeli official overnight as saying there would be a “significant response” to the attack as Netanyahu met his war cabinet.
Russia, China, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Oman urged restraint.
‘Deemed concluded’
The Islamic Republic’s mission to the United Nations said the attack had been aimed at punishing “Israeli crimes,” but that it now “deemed the matter concluded.”
US President Joe Biden said he would convene a meeting of leaders of the Group of Seven major economies on Sunday to coordinate a diplomatic response to what he called Iran’s brazen attack.
Security Council
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said America did not seek conflict with Iran but would not hesitate to act to protect US forces and support the defense of Israel.
The UN Security Council was set to meet at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday after Israel requested it condemn Iran’s attack and designate the Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization.
On Saturday Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized an Israel-linked cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, underscoring the risks to the world economy of a wider conflict.
Regional tensions
The war in Gaza, which Israel invaded after an attack by Iran-backed Hamas on Oct. 7, has ratcheted up tensions in the region, spreading to fronts with Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
Iran’s most powerful ally in the region, the Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah—which has been exchanging fire with Israel since the Gaza war began—said early on Sunday it had fired rockets at an Israeli base.Drones were also reportedly launched against Israel by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group, which has attacked shipping lanes in and around the Red Sea to show solidarity with Hamas, British maritime security company Ambrey said in a statement.
Iran’s Fars news agency quoted a source as saying Tehran was closely watching Jordan, which might become the next target in case of any moves in support of Israel.
The Oct. 7 attack in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 253 taken hostage, along with internal discontent with the government and international pressure over the war in Gaza, form the backdrop to Netanyahu’s decisions over a response.
In Jerusalem on Sunday Israelis described their fear during the attack, when sirens wailed and the night sky was shaken by blasts, but differed on how the country should respond.
‘License to respond’
“I think we’ve been given license to respond now. I mean it was a major attack from Iran…I imagine Israel will respond and may be over quickly and get back to normal life,” said Jeremy Smith, 60. In Iran, state television showed small gatherings in several cities celebrating the attack, but in private some Iranians were worried about Israel’s response.
“Iran gave Netanyahu a golden opportunity to attack our country. But we, the people of Iran, will bear the brunt of this conflict,” said Shima, a 29-year-old nurse, from Tehran. —REUTERS
