FLASH
Shkruar nga PamfletiIf Iran responds, Washington will defend and support Israel and there will be consequences!
Iran's military has signaled that Tehran will not immediately retaliate after Israel launched airstrikes in the Islamic Republic, escalating the conflict between the regional foes and fueling fears of an all-out war in the Middle East.
Israeli forces launched three waves of attacks on Iran on Saturday, saying they had hit military facilities, including missile factories and air defenses, in retaliation for Iran's shelling of Israel three weeks ago.
The attacks killed four soldiers, but Iran tried to play down the impact of the attacks and later on Saturday the General Staff of the Armed Forces said the Islamic republic reserved its legal and legitimate right to respond at an appropriate time.
Rather than vowing retaliation, the statement said Iran's emphasis was on supporting a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, where Israeli forces are fighting Hamas and Hezbollah, respectively; militant groups are supported by the republic.
Israel launched the attacks in the early hours of Saturday in retaliation for an Iranian missile attack on October 1, but the enemies appeared to want to avoid an all-out war.
The Netanyahu government remained silent on the attack, including the prime minister, who barred his ministers from giving interviews on Saturday.
Far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also issued a brief statement supporting the attacks but hoping it was just an opening game against Iran. Instead, the IDF was left to describe in vague terms "precision strikes" on missile production sites and air defenses, and issue warnings of future strikes if Tehran retaliates.
The US had pressed Israel to avoid striking Iran's nuclear facilities or oil facilities as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government prepared its response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack three weeks ago.
After Israel declared the attack over, the Biden administration said Israel's response should mark the end of the latest cycle of attacks between the enemies. The US has conveyed this message directly and indirectly to Tehran, the official said.
If Iran retaliates, Washington will defend and support Israel and there will be consequences, the official added.
Iran's Foreign Ministry called the attacks a "blatant violation of international law," adding that the republic "considers its right and duty to exercise legitimate self-defense against foreign acts of aggression."
But, like Iran's armed forces, it did not threaten an imminent response. On Saturday, in telephone conversations with his Egyptian and Qatari counterparts, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that "Iran will not hesitate to respond decisively and proportionately to any violation of its territorial integrity," but added that any response would to come at "an opportune moment".
Iran's armed forces claimed in the statement that a "significant" number of Israeli missiles were intercepted, while those that reached their targets caused only "limited damage" to radar systems, some of which have already been repaired.
Iran's air defense headquarters said Israel had targeted military bases in Tehran, southwestern Khuzestan province and western Ilam province.
Explosions were heard in Tehran and Iranians on social media described multiple explosions that rocked the capital. State media said four soldiers had been killed.
Iranian state television downplayed the impact of the strikes on daily life. In street interviews, residents either reported not hearing any explosions or downplayed the significance of the event.
The coverage — which often serves as an indicator of the Islamic Republic's messaging and strategic intentions — praised the country's air defense systems, calling the incident a victory for Iran and a failure for Israel.
Arab states, including Iran's traditional regional rivals the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, condemned Israel's attack, underscoring their fears of a regional escalation, with Riyadh describing it as a "violation of international law" . "Pamphlet" from "Financial Times"
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