Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has warned of a massive and harsh response to even the tiniest attack by Israel. This warning was reiterated during Iran’s annual army parade. Iran commemorated Army Day while the world awaited potential Israeli military retaliation following an unprecedented attack by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
President Raisi praised Iran’s recent attack on Israel, dubbed true promise, and reaffirmed Iran’s readiness to deliver a strong response to any perceived aggression. Iranian President claimed that Iran’s recent attack was limited in scope but claimed that if desired, Iran could completely dismantle the Zionist regime.
Hostilities between Iranian allies in Lebanon and Yemen and Israel have escalated since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. A suspected Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Syria earlier led to Iran’s first direct attack on Israel.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden urged the approval of more military aid for Israel and Ukraine. The Biden administration sought an additional US$14 billion in military aid for Israel, a move that has faced obstacles in the US House of Representatives but gained renewed attention following Iran’s recent attack.
However, critics raised concerns about the ramifications of supplying more weapons, warning against the potential enabling of Israeli war crimes and abuses.
Negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and securing the release of prisoners held by both Israel and Hamas are facing challenges, with Qatari mediators cautioning that talks for a truce in Gaza have encountered a stumbling block. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has described the negotiations as being in a delicate phase.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed, in collaboration with Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, reiterated their commitment to resolving the stumbling block hindering progress in the Gaza truce negotiations. Despite six months of mediation by Qatar, no breakthrough has been achieved, with both Israel and Hamas maintaining firm positions.
Qatar’s Prime Minister voiced concerns over the stumbling Gaza ceasefire talks, warning of the potential expansion of conflict in the region due to the international community’s failure to halt the ongoing war. Strikes targeting civilian areas, including a playground and a busy market in the Maghazi refugee camp, have resulted in the deaths of at least 56 Palestinians in the past day.
Israeli military operations continue in Gaza. The population of Gaza is facing shortages of essential supplies such as food, shelter, and medicine. The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks has now climbed to 33,899.
UK Foreign Secretary and former UK Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged Israel’s decision to respond to the recent retaliatory attack by Iran, expressing hope for a measured Israeli military response to minimise further escalation. Cameron’s remarks come following a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem.
Cameron and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock travelled to Israel in the aftermath of Iran’s retaliation. Both Germany and the UK urged Israel to exercise rationality and compassion in its response to Iran’s retaliatory attack, highlighting the destruction of Iranian missiles and drones as a victory. They stressed the need to focus on freeing hostages, providing aid to Gaza, and achieving a ceasefire to alleviate the suffering of civilians. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conveyed a similar message to Netanyahu by phone.
During a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasised his commitment to making independent decisions on security, regardless of any requests from allies.