Ali Khamenei, Iran‘s supreme leader, has responded to the Israeli attacks on the country with a measured response. He said that the attack should not “be exaggerated or underplayed”, but did not promise immediate retaliation.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran, said that Iran would “give a proper response” to this attack, in which at least four soldiers were killed, adding that Tehran does not seek war.
Israel claimed that it had targeted military sites in various regions of Iran in retaliation to Iranian attacks. These included a barrage consisting of almost 200 missiles fired at Israel on 1 October.
On Sunday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had crippled Iranian air defence and missile production systems. He said that the strikes had “severely harmed Iran’s ability to produce missiles and its defence capability”.
Netanyahu said that the attack was “precise and powerful” and had achieved its goals at a ceremony honoring victims of the 7 October attacks last year.
“This regime has to understand a simple rule: whoever hurts is, we hurt them.”
Official Iranian sources have publicly downplayed the impact of the attack by saying that most missiles were intercepted, and those that weren’t only caused limited damage to air defense systems.
In his first comments since the attack on the Iranian regime, Khamenei said that it was up to the authorities how to communicate the power and will to the Israeli regime. They must also take actions to serve the interests of the nation and country.
Pezeshkian, the president, echoed the language of the supreme leader, telling a cabinet: “We will defend the rights and nation of our country, but not war.”
The Israeli strikes were less extensive than some observers expected. Tel Aviv reportedly heeded the advice of the US, which publicly urged Israel not to attack oil and nuclear facilities.
The Iranian Foreign Minister said on Sunday that Iran “received” indications about an impending attack several hours before it occurred.
Abbas Araghchi, a reporter, said: “We received indications that the attack could have occurred that night since the evening.”
Western countries have asked Iran to refrain from responding in order to stop the cycle of escalation that could lead to a regional war.
Iranian media have shown footage of the daily life as usual and framed the “limited” damages as a win, a decision analysts say was meant to reassure Iranians.
Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah continued to fight in Lebanon, and Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian armed group in Gaza.
Local authorities report that an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon on Sunday killed at least 8 people. At least 21 people were killed by Israeli air strikes in the south of Lebanon, Lebanon’s authorities reported late on Sunday.
In Gaza, nine people were killed in an Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter in the al-Shati refugee camp, Palestinians officials said. Palestinian media and Reuters reported that three of the dead were Palestinians journalists, citing officials.
In Israel, a truck struck a bus stop north of Tel Aviv and caused at least 30 injuries. Authorities said it was a suspected terrorist attack.
Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the Egyptian president, proposed on Sunday a ceasefire of two days in Gaza. This would involve the exchange of four Israeli prisoners for some Palestinian ones.
He said that after 10 days, the talks should resume in order to reach a permanent ceasefire.
Speaking to the BBC’s Arabic Service a senior Hamas representative said that its conditions for a truce – rejected by Israel months ago – had not changed.
Sami Abu Zuhri, a Palestinian militant leader, said that the group continues to demand a total ceasefire and a full Israeli pullout from Gaza.
“Any agreement which does not guarantee these terms is of no value,” he said.
Israel launched a campaign against Hamas as a response to the group’s unprecedented attack in southern Israel on 7th October 2023. In that attack, approximately 1,200 people died and 251 were taken hostage.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, more than 42,924 Palestinians have died in Gaza since that time.
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