Iran has decided to attack Israel, Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced amid an intense diplomatic push to avoid any further military action that could spark a direct war between the Islamic Republic and the Jewish state.
Iran’s message was delivered to Israel through Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, who called Katz directly to explain that he had received this information from acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri.
“Iran has informed us that it intends to attack Israel,” Katz said, adding that ”The world should exact a price from Iran for any aggressive action it carries out.”
In a conversation Bagheri held with his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, he spoke of his country’s determination to respond to the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack but is widely presumed to have carried it out.
“Silence toward the expanding evil acts of the Zionist regime will be detrimental to the regional stability, adding that indifference to its recent moves is tantamount to giving the regime an incentive.”
The United States believes that an Iranian attack could come as soon as the next 48 hours.
Biden set to meet with national security team
US President Joe Biden is set to meet with his national security team to discuss the situation in the afternoon while US CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla visited Israel and met with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi.
Gallant said that the visit was “a direct translation of US support for Israel into action. The relationship between Israel and the United States is unshakeable.
”We discussed the coordination of defense activities and ways to expand the international coalition facing aggressive actions by Iran and its proxies.”
Biden spoke with Jordan’s King Abdullah about efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, including through an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal,” the White House said in describing the call.
“The President thanked His Majesty for his friendship, and affirmed unwavering US support for Jordan as a partner and ally in promoting regional peace and security,” it added.
Jordan and the US were part of a coalition of five armies that took to the skies to defend the Jewish state when Iran attacked Israel in April. Great Britain, France, and Israel were also part of that coalition.
Comments are closed.