The Israeli offensive was presented as an act of retaliation. The possibility of a new counterattack threatens to widen the conflict in the region.
The strengths of Israel they carried out airstrikes against the territory of Iran in the early morning (local time) of this Saturday, October 26.
According to the Israeli army, The offensive hit around 20 targets, including missile manufacturing facilities, surface-to-air missiles and other military spaces. .
The events were presented as an act of retaliation for the attacks carried out by Iran on October 1 .
In this case, at the beginning of the month, Its troops fired nearly 180 ballistic missiles, the vast majority of which were intercepted by Israeli defense systems.
This offensive was also presented as a retaliatory measure, after Israeli forces began ground operations in Lebanon and assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by bombing positions in Beirut at the end of September.
The tensions in Middle East have gradually intensified since October 7, 2023 .
In this case, the activist group Hamas carried out a direct offensive against Israeli territory .
The episode left 1,200 dead and 250 hostages captured a hundred of whom remain captive.
For its part, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with continued attacks in the Gaza Strip .
Local health authorities report that Nearly 42,300 deaths have been recorded .
Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah are both part of the so-called Axis of Resistance. .
It is about a military alliance which also includes the Houthis of Yemen, the Syrian government and groups from Syria and Iraq.
According to the prosecution, The network is powered by Iranian forces and aims to counter the influence of Israel and the United States. in the region.
After the air attacks on Saturday October 26, there were questions about whether Iran will choose to respond with further retaliation or whether it will prefer to avoid another direct counterattack .
Various analysts have suggested that This first scenario could trigger an even larger war in the Middle East.
However, the second would also involve strategic risks for Iran assured the international editor of BBC Jeremy Bowen, in an article for the aforementioned media.
How Iran responded to Israel’s attacks
After Israel carried out its airstrikes against Iran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the offensive “should not be downplayed or exaggerated.” .
He also said that Israeli forces They made a “calculation error” on Iran, which Tehran must “correct” reported the official news agency IRNA.
“They don’t know Iran” and “they they did not properly understand the power, capacity, initiative and will of the Iranian nation “added Khamenei.
Under this line he ruled: “We have to make them understand” .
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghei told a news conference: Iran “will use all available tools to provide a definitive and effective response” against Israel.
Along with this, from the portfolio of the said Iranian government They said they had the right to defend themselves “as provided for in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations”.
Earlier, a week before the offensive, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, warned that “any attack on Iran will be considered a crossing of a red line for us” .
“An attack of this type will not go unanswered” he warned at the time.
What was the reaction of the United States after the Israeli attacks on Iran?
Secretary of the US Department of Defense Lloyd Austin reiterated the North American country’s commitment to defending its allies in the Middle East and avoiding escalation in the war.
“The United States is well positioned to defend U.S. forces, installations and partners throughout the region and is committed to preventing any actor from exploiting tensions or expanding the conflict “, he said in statements saved by Reuters after having a call with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant.
According to a memo published by the Ministry of Defense, the head of the Pentagon declared before the latter that “Iran should not make the mistake of responding to Israel’s attacks which should mark the end of this exchange of aggression.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, also joined the United States’ claims that Israel had acted in self-defense ahead of Iran’s October 1 missile offensive.
“I am clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression “, declared the British authority, saved by the BBC.
Likewise, he said: “I am also clear that we must avoid further regional escalation and urge all parties to exercise restraint . “Iran should not respond. »
How Iran could respond to Israel’s attacks
The international editor-in-chief of the aforementioned media outlet, Jeremy Bowen, said in his article that Iran is currently facing a complex situation in which Their leaders “must decide whether to avoid (further retaliation) or (to do so and) risk an even worse escalation” .
“They have to choose the least bad option from a series of difficult options. At one end of the spectrum is the possibility of counterattacking with another wave of ballistic missiles. . “Israel has already threatened to retaliate again if this happens. »
“On the other hand, Iran is deciding whether to end destructive exchanges of direct attacks. against their respective territories.
Bowen stated that “the risk for Iran, if it does not shoot, is that it appears weak, intimidated and deterred by the military power and political determination of an Israel still supported by the United States” .
“Ultimately, the Supreme Leader and his advisors will likely take the decision they believe is least detrimental to the survival of the Islamic regime in Iran “.
Following the Iranian offensive against Israel in early October, US President Joe Biden urged Prime Minister Netanyahu not to attack oil and/or nuclear facilities. from Iran.
This is because it is presumed that An offensive with these characteristics could trigger greater escalation in the conflict.
Saturday October 26 Israeli forces attacked military installations but not oil or nuclear power.
In Bowen’s view, “Israel’s decision not to attack Iran’s most valuable assets could perhaps give Tehran an opportunity to delay its response. at least long enough for diplomats to do their jobs.
As part of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly held in September, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abbas Araghchi suggested that Iran was open to a new round of nuclear negotiations “if the other parties want it.” .
However, after the Israeli offensive on Saturday October 26, he said in a letter to the organization’s secretary general: His country reserves the right to respond to Israel’s “criminal aggression” .
For Bowen, “all this should be of great importance to the world beyond the region.
Although Iran has insisted that it does not aim to develop nuclear weapons, there have been accusations that it is using its civilian program for this purpose. .
“Its leaders must look for a new way to deter their enemies. The development of a nuclear warhead for its ballistic missiles could be on your agenda » suggested the international editor of BBC.
Concerning Israel, even if it is presumed that it has weapons of this type, its authorities have remained rather reticent. and they never officially confirmed it.
Source: Latercera
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
