Israel hopes its response to Iranian attack will end ‘exchange of blows’

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – When Israel responds to unprecedented weekend Iranian drone and missile attacks, the aim will be to send a message of deterrence to Tehran while drawing a line under this round of hostilities, a senior Israeli lawmaker said on Tuesday.

Yuli Edelstein said Israeli considerations in planning a retaliatory strike included the war-consciousness of Western powers, the risks to aircrews from any flights against Iran, and the need to maintain focus on the more than half-year-long Gaza offensive.

Knesset Foreign Chairman Edelstein said, “We have to react. The Iranians will know that we reacted. And I sincerely hope that this will teach them a lesson that you cannot attack a sovereign country just because you feel like it.” “Seems possible.” Affairs and Defense Committee.

But he added, “I sincerely hope that they will understand that it is not in their interest to continue this kind of exchange. We are not interested in a full-scale war. As I have said, we are not involved in war. Are.” The business of revenge.”

Israeli officials say the response to the Iranian attacks will be agreed upon by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet. Edelstein, a former cabinet minister in Netanyahu’s Likud party, whose role now includes reviewing government decisions, did not clarify to what extent he was briefed on operational plans.

The launch of hundreds of pilotless kamikaze planes, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles on Saturday night was the first direct attack by Iran on Israel. Most threats were foiled by Israeli, American, British, French and Jordanian forces.

Iran called for barrage retaliation for the Israeli attack, which destroyed a building at its embassy compound in Damascus and killed two of its generals and several other officials.

Israel – which has not claimed responsibility for the April 1 attack – says it cannot allow an open front with the Iranians, especially as it battles Tehran-backed militias in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. .

A TV poll by Channel 13 found that 29% of Israelis support an immediate attack on Iran, 37% support attacking later and 25% oppose such action.

The Iranian attack injured an Israeli girl and caused limited damage to an airbase. Asked whether the Israeli response would try to avoid more casualties, Edelstein said the targets were still being discussed but “we always take into account international norms” and that Israel did not intentionally target civilians. Is.

Israel used warplanes and high-altitude interceptors to defend against Iranian attacks, which Edelstein said cost “an enormous amount of money” that was worth investing in self-defense.

Among his committee’s duties was to ensure that Israel had a steady supply of interceptor missiles. He said that the rumors that Israel is short of interceptors are false.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Peter Graff)

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