JERUSALEM: A top Iranian military adviser on Sunday warned Israel that none of its embassies were safe following last week’s strike in Damascus blamed on Israel that killed two elite Iranian generals.
Regional tensions threaten to draw West Asia into a wider conflict as Israel’s war against Hamas marks six months.
The remarks by General Rahim Safavi, a military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signalled that the attack on a diplomatic mission could be met with a similar response.Israel has not directly acknowledged its involvement. Speaking at a ceremony in Tehran for the generals killed in the strike that flattened an Iranian consular building, Safavi said Tehran now viewed confrontation with Israel as a “legitimate and legal right”.
Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency published a graphic on Sunday that it said showcased nine different types of Iranian missiles it says are capable of hitting Israel. The country’s army chief said Saturday that Iran’s retaliation would be intended to inflict “maximum damage on the enemy”.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Tel Aviv was prepared for any response. “Whoever harms us or plans to harm us, we will harm them.” On Sunday, defence minister Yoav Gallant held an “operational situation assessment” with the military, and found the defence establisment to be “ready for any scenario vis-a-vis Iran”.
Israel has placed its military on high alert and mobilised additional air defence units. Israeli combat soldiers expecting to go on leave over the weekend were also ordered to remain at their stations. The US is also on high alert for a possible attack by Iran targeting Israeli or US assets in the region.