Israel prepares for Iranian retaliation with drill
Israel’s Air Force carried out a drill on April 11 amid fears of a retaliation strike by Iran.
Israeli news outlet Ynet said that the Air Force held “a drill, simulating attacks on targets located a significant distance away from the country”.
Fear is in the air in the country, military reservists have been called up in high numbers and leave for all combat units has been suspended until further notice.
Israel struck the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 1, killing over a dozen Iranian fighters and five civilians.
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari claimed that the targeted building was not a consulate, but a terrorist operation centre.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on April 10 that Israel “will be punished “for the attack.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian commented, “We consider this aggression to have violated all diplomatic norms and international treaties. Benjamin Netanyahu has completely lost his mental balance due to the successive failures in Gaza and his failure to achieve his Zionist goals.”
British and American officials however, urged against an Iranian retaliation strike – noting that it will risk an eruption in tensions at a time when the region is in turmoil.
On April 10, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant that Washington will “stand with Israel against any threats by Iran and its proxies.”
On the same day, President Biden echoed Blinken’s remarks, stressing that his country would strongly defend Israel should a major attack from Tehran take place.
During talks with his Iranian counterpart on April 11, British Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron warned that the country “must not draw the Middle East into a wider conflict.”
Ynet/ Middle East Monitor
