The United States and European allies are imposing new sanctions on Iranian military leaders and weapon makers to punish Iran for its April 14 missile and drone attack on Israel, but they urge the Jewish nation not to retaliate strongly amid fears of a broader war.
Following last weekend’s missile and drone attack by Iran and its proxies, Israel is reported to have launched an airstrike on a military base in Iran that used advanced missiles capable of evading Iranian radar, targeting a crucial component of the air defense system that safeguards Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Israel hit Iran with at least one missile early Friday in what appears to be a retaliatory strike after weeks of escalating tensions between the two countries, U.S. sources say.
While the US has pressed Israel not to attack the remaining Hamas battalions in the Rafah area of Gaza (because of the potential for mass civilian casualties), the Biden administration is now reportedly willing to support a Rafah operation provided Israel does not attack Iran, the Jerusalem Post learned from the Qatari newspaper The New Arab.
The United States and European allies have pledged more sanctions against Iran, but differences remain on whether to designate the country’s feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
Israeli officials aim to retaliate against Tehran for its unprecedented drone and missile attack while carefully avoiding further escalation, maintaining alliances crucial in repelling the attack, and staying focused on their military objectives in Gaza, according to The Wall Street Journal. US and Western officials expect Israel’s response could come swiftly, potentially as early as today.
Three Group of Seven (G-7) of the most advanced economies have been “firmly condemning the launch of missiles and drones from Iran, reiterating full support for Israel’s security.”
The U.S. has deployed naval warships to safeguard Israel and American forces, aiming to deter a potential direct attack from Iran on Israel, which could occur as soon as Friday or Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran, stressing that Israel would retaliate if attacked, coinciding with Gen. Michael Kurilla, the chief of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), arrival to Israel, whose visit is centered around discussions on what US intelligence officials are calling an “imminent” threat emanating from Tehran.
A U.S. court ordered Iran and Syria on Wednesday to pay $ 191 million over the 2018 Hamas killing of an American citizen living in Israel.
A U.S. official stated that the United States informed Iran it “had no involvement” and lacked prior knowledge of an Israeli attack on a diplomatic facility in Syria, which resulted in the death of a high-ranking Iranian general, Axios reported on Tuesday.
Earlier today, a U.S. Navy Destroyer intercepted and shot down an Iranian-made drone launched by Houthis from Yemen. The drone, directed toward the warship, was successfully shot down over the Red Sea, according to the U.S. Central command.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) criticized Iran last week for non-cooperation regarding its nuclear program. Despite the criticism, the IAEA held back from more decisive action, expressing concerns about provoking a potential counter-reaction from Iran and triggering a broader conflict in the Middle East.
U.S. officials expressed concerns on Tuesday that Iran is gearing up to supply Russia with sophisticated short-range ballistic missiles for its military operations in Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
Iran’s supreme leader has reportedly told the leader of Hamas that his nation won’t enter the Israel-Hamas war amid fears the armed conflict will spread throughout the Middle East.
The Biden administration has extended a U.S. sanction waiver that could provide $10 billion in energy proceeds to Iran despite its links to a massacre in Israel and attacks against American troops.
Iran’s president effectively called for the destruction of Israel and the extermination of Jews and urged Muslim nations “to arm Palestinians” if “Israel’s attacks” continue.
American bases were attacked four times by Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East following a U.S. strike on an Iranian facility in Syria last Wednesday, the Pentagon has confirmed.
Recent attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria underscore the challenge the Biden administration faces in deterring Iranian-backed militias without sparking a direct conflict with Iran or upsetting the U.S.-aligned government in Iraq, from which many of these attacks are launched, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In further evidence of warm ties between Russia and Iran, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk announced this week that Moscow hopes to sign a free trade zone agreement with Iran and several other Eurasion countries by the end of the year, i24News reports.