The Israel War Cabinet is set to meet for the third time in three days to decide on a forceful response to Iran’s first-ever direct attack, which launched more than 300 missiles, cruise missiles, and drones from Iran at Israeli territory on Saturday night. Although the attack caused no deaths and little damage, it has increased fears that the Gaza war is spreading and that there is a risk of open war between Iran and Israel.
Military chief of staff Herzi Halevi had promised that the attack “will be met with a response,” and now the Israeli government is set on a course of action that shows they are taking this attack seriously. Iran launched the attack in retaliation for an airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 attributed to Israel, but their act of aggression will not be tolerated.
The international community has also put pressure on Israel to avoid further escalation of the conflict. President Joe Biden informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would not participate in an Israeli counter-strike. Instead, together with European allies, the US is working to toughen economic and political sanctions against Iran in an attempt to dissuade Israel from violent retaliation.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz is leading a diplomatic attack, writing to 32 countries to ask them to place sanctions on Iran’s missile program and follow Washington in proscribing its dominant military force, the Revolutionary Guard Corps, as a terrorist group.
The European Union foreign ministers are scheduled to hold a video meeting on the Middle East for Tuesday. Last fall, Germany campaigned with France and other EU partners to extend the bloc’s existing sanctions regime against Iran that targets drone production. It’s a clear message to Iran that their aggression will not be tolerated.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani had told state TV on Monday night that Tehran’s response to any Israeli counter-attack would come in “a matter of seconds, as Iran will not wait for another 12 days to respond.” However, Israel is ready to face the consequences of any action they take.
Since the war in Gaza began in October, clashes have erupted between Israel and Iran-aligned groups based in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. In Gaza itself, Iran’s action drew applause. Israel began its campaign against Hamas, the Iranian-backed Palestinian group that runs Gaza, after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages by Israeli tallies.
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