Iran blamed Israel for the April 1 strike on its consulate in Damascus and vowed a strong response.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the United States has stressed that it is not in anyone’s best interest for the Middle East to escalate in his conversations with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and China over the past 24 hours. This occurs in the midst of rumors that Iran is retaliating for what is believed to be an Israeli strike on its embassy in Syria.
- Why there is a risk of Iran’s strike on Israel? Iran blames Israel for the April 1 strike on its consulate in Damascus, which killed senior members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Iranian government has since vowed a strong response.
- World leaders rush to de-escalate Iran-Israel tension British foreign secretary David Cameron warned Iran against escalating tensions in the Middle East, urging to avoid wider conflict. “Today I made clear to Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian that Iran must not draw the Middle East into a wider conflict. I am deeply concerned about the potential for miscalculation leading to further violence. Iran should instead work to de-escalate and prevent further attacks,” the British Foreign Minister posted from his X handle. In light of the Iranian threat, US President Joe Biden reiterated his unwavering support for Israel’s security.
- “Our commitment to protecting Israel’s security from these threats from Iran and its proxies is unwavering, as I informed Prime Minister Netanyahu. Again, let me state it: unquestionable. Visiting Japanese prime minister Kishida Fumio joined Biden at a White House press conference on Wednesday. “We’re going to do everything we can to protect Israel’s security,” Biden declared.
- As he and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reviewed readiness, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared a robust response to any Iranian attacks.
