Iran warns Israel of 'painful response' for any retaliation for weekend attack

Iran has said that even the slightest of retaliation from Israel for the Iranian barrage over the weekend will be met with a “painful response”.

For the first time, Iran on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday mounted an attack on Israeli soil. It launched more than 600 projectiles not just from Iranian soil but also from Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon where it sponsors a host of armed groups that share its opposition to Israel.

While Israel has vowed to respond to the unprecedented Iranian attack, no offensive has yet taken place amid the international community’s call for Israel to exercise restraint.

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“We firmly declare that the slightest action against Iran’s interests will definitely be met with a severe, extensive and painful response,” said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Monday, as per AFP.

On Saturday night, Iran launched around 170 drones, over 120 ballistic missiles, and 350 rockets at Israel, according to CNN. The Israeli military said that it intercepted around 99% of these projectiles. The Israeli military was joined by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan in the multinational defensive operation against the Iranian barrage dubbed ‘Operation Iron Shield’.

For days prior to the Iranian attack, the United States and Israel had publicised their assessment that the assault was imminent. In the run-up to the attack, Iran had repeatedly vowed to punish Israel for the killing of a top general in an airstrike on its diplomatic mission in Syrian capital Damascus on April 1.

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In his statement, Raisi said that the Iranian attack was a defensive operation and it targeted the Israeli military bases involved in the targeting of the country’s mission in Syria. While Iran blamed Israel for the strike, Israel did not acknowledge it.

Since the Iranian attack, the Middle East has been on the brink as there are fears that an Israeli retaliation could plunge the region into an escalatory spiral that may lead to a wider regional war. The region is already reeling from the war in Gaza that’s now in its seventh month.

Prior to Iran’s attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had declared that an attack on Israel will be met with a response on the attacker’s soil. Following Iran’s attack, however, the international community has urged Israel to show restraint. US President Joe Biden, who has provided “ironclad” support to Israel so far against Iranian aggression reportedly told Netanyahu that while the US will help with Israel’s defence against Iranian assaults, it will not be part of an Israeli retaliation on Iran.

Following the Iranian attack, Israel Defense Force (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said it will be “will be met with a response”.

“We are looking ahead, we are considering our steps, and this launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs into the territory of the State of Israel will be met with a response,” said Halevi, according to The Times of Israel.