TEHRAN: Iran on Sunday asked Israel not to retaliate militarily to strike overnight, which Tehran presented as a justified reply to an attack that destroyed Iranian consulate compound in Damascus, Syria earlier this month.
However, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that they would attain victory after its army claimed it shot down almost all missiles and drones.
Iranian mission to the UN said in a statement via social media that the matter can be deemed concluded. It warned “However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iranian reply will be considerably more severe.”
It further said that Iran’s action was in reply to “the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus, Syria.”
On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed in a statement via social media and said” We intercepted, we repelled, together we shall win.”
Several countries and world leaders also reacted over the recent development in the region as US president Joe Biden denounced Iran’s retaliatory strikes against Israel. According to Reuters Biden also cut short a weekend tour to his hometown and returned to Washington after the strikes.
Tehran on Saturday fired dozens of drones and missiles at Israel, a strike that may trigger an escalation between the regional rivals. Earlier, Iran had pledged to retaliate for Israel’s strike on Iran’s embassy last week in Damascus, Syria that killed a senior general in the Iran and six other officers.
In a statement, the White House stated that President Biden was being briefed regular basis on new developments in the region. Reuters citied three US officials as saying that the US military also shot down Iranian drones headed toward Israel.
Similarly, China said that it was “deeply concerned” regarding escalating tensions in the region following Iran fired drones in a retaliatory attack against Israel, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has also expressed deep concern over the current and latest developments in the region and called on all sides to exercise utmost restraint and move towards de-escalation, a foreign office statement stated on Sunday.
