Iran vowed “swift and heavy” retaliation against Israel after the assassination of two heads of extremist groups allied with the Iranians, reported The Wall Street Journal. According to the US outlet, the statement was given by an Iranian diplomat and directed at the US and Saudi Arabia, which are trying to mediate the situation in order to avoid a new conflict in the Middle East.
The government of Iran is still, according to the publication, acting to prevent US and Saudi diplomats from trying to avoid an escalation in tensions in the region. The Iranian diplomat reportedly referred to the attempts as “fruitless.”
“There is no sense (in talks to avoid escalation). Israel has crossed all red lines (…) Our response will be swift and heavy,” he said.
An escalation of tension has gripped the Middle East following the deaths of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders this week. The fear is that a war will break out between Israel and Iran and terrorist groups allied with the Iranians.
This is because Israel was blamed for the two attacks, although it did not claim responsibility for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas. Throughout the week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israel had dealt “devastating blows” to its enemies.
The head of government warned that Israel will have “challenging days ahead” and assured that it “will take a heavy price for any aggression”, such as the offensive attributed to Hezbollah that killed 12 young people in the annexed Golan Heights.
“It is a war of survival against the ring of terrorist missiles that surrounds us. Since the beginning of the conflict we have been fighting against Iran’s axis of evil,” Netanyahu commented.
With this, Israel and the US are preparing for a possible Iranian attack, which could come at any time and, according to The Wall Street Journal, this weekend.
On Friday (2), the United States even announced the sending of more equipment to Israel, such as destroyers, cruisers and a fighter squadron to the Middle East, according to the Pentagon.
Iran has vowed to take revenge for the death of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas chief who was killed in an airstrike in Tehran.
Iran’s leader, Ali Khamenei, has promised “severe punishment” for Israelis. Meanwhile, Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said his country would “defend its territorial integrity” and said “Israel will repent for the cowardly murder.”
Want to stay on top of the main news of the day? Click here and join our WhatsApp channel
