Israel and Iran have issued threats of retaliation against one another, pushing longstanding concerns over escalation towards a regional war to new heights.Israel, with backing from its United States ally, has promised to respond to the huge missile attack that Iran launched late on Tuesday. Iran has said any such retaliation will be met with an even “tougher” backlash.
Meanwhile, Israel on Wednesday resumed its attacks on Lebanon and announced it is sending additional troops to carry out the ground offensive that it launched on Tuesday.
Iran said the close to 200 missiles it fired at Israel were a response to the recent killings of Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tehran late on Tuesday that it had “made a big mistake”.
Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Amman, said the Israeli military and political echelon have insisted that the attack “simply will not go unanswered”.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has warned Iran of “serious consequences”.
US Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said “the world needs America to return to a maximum pressure campaign against Iran”.
The threats were met with defiance.
Iran’s armed forces joint chief of staff General Mohammad Bagheri threatened to repeat its missile attack with “multiplied intensity” if Israel retaliates against Iran’s territory.
Tehran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, called European counterparts overnight, telling them that if Israel “takes r …
