‘We’ll make our decisions ourselves’, Israeli PM says
Fresh out of meetings with foreign envoys, Netanyahu says he appreciates the support and counsel of Israel’s allies but the country will ultimately make its own decisions after the attack by archenemy Iran.
“I thank our friends for their support in defending Israel … support both in words and support in actions,” said Netanyahu, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
“They also have all sorts of suggestions and advice, which I appreciate. But I want to make it clear – we will make our decisions ourselves, and the state of Israel will do whatever is necessary to defend itself.”
Netanyahu rejects foreign pressure on Iran response
In a seeming rejection of all of the international pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told his weekly cabinet meeting that he told both the German foreign minister and the British foreign secretary that Israel will act in a way that works for Israel at a time and place of their choosing.
All of this comes amid a lot of talk about what’s going to come next – if Israel is going to respond to Iran and how, when and where it is going to attack.
The general consensus is that Israel is going to respond. That is the inclination from all of the Israeli officials we’ve been hearing from, including the prime minister, the defence minister and the Israeli army chief of staff.
Potential Israel strike ‘not perceived as retaliation in Iran’
An analyst says Israel’s threat of a response to Iran’s strike will likely be met with “direct retaliation”.
“After the hit on the Iranian consulate, the Iranians could not take it any more. They had to respond by re-establishing their deterrence credibility,” said Hassan Ahmadian, a professor at the University of Tehran.
“Now the Israelis are talking about retaliation. This is not perceived as retaliation in Iran – it is perceived as another attack on Iran,” he told Al Jazeera.
He said the Supreme National Security Council – the main Iranian body that would decide on any more strikes against Israel – has noted “any hit on Iran will be retaliated against directly”.
Pentagon chief hails ‘success’ in confronting Iranian attack on Israel
Lloyd Austin has lauded what he called the “exceptional skill and professionalism” of US forces in helping shoot down Iranian drones and missiles directed at Israel over the weekend.
“Alongside Israel and our allies, we had enormous success in defeating Iran attack,” Austin told US legislators during a briefing.
“We will continue to stand ready to protect our troops in the region and to support the defence of Israel from attacks by Iran or its proxies,” he said.
Austin reiterated that the US commitment to Israel’s security is “ironclad”. US officials have repeatedly sent that message in the wake of the attack, while urging Israel to avoid a response that could lead to wider escalation.
Response to Iran attack likely cost over $1bn: Report
Israel and its allies hailed their success in stopping a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones in a historic attack over the weekend. However, that response likely came with a price tag topping over one billion dollars, according to a Bloomberg report.
Reem Aminoach, a former brigadier general and chief financial adviser to the head of the Israeli military, gave the estimated figure.
He cited calculations he’d done for the number of interceptor missiles Israel would have had to fire. Israel has said Iran fired 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles.
The US, UK, France and Jordan were also involved in shooting down the Iranian weapons.
‘Israel is the provocateur’ in the standoff with Iran
Hassan Ahmadian, a professor of Middle East and North Africa studies at the University of Tehran, says the threat of more sanctions against Iran’s military sector won’t concern authorities because there’s nothing left to sanction.
He also highlighted the hypocrisy of Western diplomats’ scorn after the attack on Israel, noting those same officials had failed to denounce the deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1.
“The Global South nations are critical of Israel – of what it does in Gaza, of what it did against the Iranian consulate – and there’s no change there even in terms of public opinion, including in the West,” said Ahmadian.
“Israel is the provocateur and it’s trying to drag other countries into a different narrative other than the genocide it’s conducted in Gaza.”
Israel warns Iranian attacks ‘coming to a city near you’
Even as its closest allies are urging restraint in the wake of an unprecedented Iranian attack on Israel, Israeli officials are turning to social media to drum up support – and fear.
Israel’s official account posted a video on X with clips from this weekend’s attack. An image of London in the United Kingdom is then shown with with the message “coming to a city near you”.
“Stop Iran now, before it’s too late!” said the post, which came the same day UK foreign minister David Cameron met with Israeli officials in an effort to avoid wider escalation.
Coming to a city near you.
𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐈𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞!
The Iranian Regime’s missile attack on Israel this week showed the world exactly what Iran is capable of and what they are willing to do.
Sanction Iran’s ballistic missile program and… pic.twitter.com/pjJl3tf2wA
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) April 17, 2024
