Eleven dead, including generals of the Revolutionary Guard and envoys from radical Palestinian groups: The Israeli air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus was a severe humiliation for the Tehran regime. Iran’s Supreme Leader took almost a day to respond to the Israeli attack. On Tuesday followingnoon, he announced retaliation: “The evil Zionist regime will be punished at the hands of our brave men. We will make them regret this and other crimes,” he said.
Religious leader Khamenei is the most powerful man in the Islamic Republic and has the final say on all strategic matters. He is also the commander in chief of the armed forces. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi also threatened Israel with consequences and described the attack as a “terrorist crime.” How and when Iran’s state power will react is still completely open. However, the threats raise fears of an escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran. Until now, Iran had always avoided retaliating directly once morest Israel.
However, the regime in Tehran cannot do much militarily once morest Israel. Iran does have thousands of missiles that can hit Israel. But revolutionary leader Khamenei does not want open war. This might endanger the existence of the Islamic Republic, especially if the USA intervenes.
In January, Iran fired missiles at targets in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the killing of a high-ranking officer. A well-known businessman who was suspected of having connections to Israel was said to have been killed in northern Iraq. The rockets flew around 1,200 kilometers. This was also interpreted by observers as a clear signal to Israel – because it would be roughly the same distance that rockets would need to reach Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. This time too, Iran might maintain its threatening posture once morest Israel.
However, Tehran might also send the pro-Iranian militia Hezbollah in Lebanon into battle once morest Israel. Hezbollah serves as the Tehran regime’s first line of defense in the event of a war with the West.
Attacks by pro-Iranian militias on US troops in Iraq and Syria are also conceivable. After all, it is said in Tehran that the USA bears responsibility as Israel’s partner.
“An unintentional hit,” laments Netanyahu
The death of seven aid workers in the Gaza Strip in an Israeli airstrike sparked worldwide horror. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regretted the “accidental” attack and promised a thorough investigation into the incident. “This happens in times of war,” Netanyahu said, making it clear: “We will do everything we can to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen once more.”
The aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK) announced that it would immediately stop its operations in the region in light of the deadly attack on an aid convoy.
This is fatal for the people in the Gaza Strip: WCK is one of only two aid organizations that deliver aid supplies to the Gaza Strip by ship from Cyprus, and was also involved in the construction of a makeshift pier there.
