Benyamin Netanyahu continues on his way and prepares a response to Iran's attack
despite strong international pressure to the contrary, with the USA and the G7 banking on sanctions against Tehran. But in the meantime the clash with Hezbollah is heating up on the northern border of Israel, which today saw 18 Israelis injured in the Galilee: 4 civilians and 14 soldiers, 6 of which seriously.
“I appreciate all kinds of suggestions and advice but I want to make it clear: we will make our own decisions and
the State of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself
,” clarified the prime minister after meeting British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and his colleague German Annalena Baerbock, arrived in Jerusalem to ask to avoid an escalation in the region. Cameron used an argument that many Israeli analysts, and even ministers, have been calling for for days in urging Netanyahu to be cautious.
"Better to be intelligent rather than harsh. The real need - observed the head of the Foreign Office - is to return to focusing on Hamas, on the hostages, on the arrival of aid, on a pause in the conflict in Gaza". A reasoning also proposed by minister Arieh Deri of the religious party Shas, who sits, as an auditor, in the small Israeli war cabinet. "It is better not to open more fronts" at the moment, Deri said, recalling that "there is an unfinished campaign in Gaza and that there are still hostages there".
"I made it clear in the talks in Israel that the Middle East must not slide into a situation that has no certain end. Maximum moderation is needed. It is not giving in but avoiding a regional war", also urged the head of German diplomacy Baerbock. But the warning from Netanyahu suggests that the decision has now been made.
The statements coming from Tehran are certainly not encouraging.
"Iran's retaliatory attack against Israel - warned Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi - was a limited and punitive action against the regime. If the Zionists take any action against our interests, Iran's response will be very harder".
"We advise enemies not to make any strategic mistakes, because
Iran is ready to strike them, especially with Sukhoi-24 fighters
, Russian supersonic tactical bombers", threatened the commander of Tehran's air forces Hamid Vahedi, fearing an aerial duel in the skies of the Middle East between Soviet-era jets and the deadly Israeli F35s and F16s.
Meanwhile, the clash between Israel and Hezbollah continues without pause
: in an attack claimed by Shiite militiamen, 14 soldiers and 4 civilians were injured in a "community center in the border town of Arab al-Aramshe". Hezbollah instead claimed to have hit a military base "with drones and guided missiles" in response to the killing yesterday of three militiamen by Israel, including a brigade commander. An air reconnaissance base on Mount Meron was also attacked. The Jewish State responded by hitting, according to the military spokesperson, "the sources from which the rockets were fired" and then "a Hezbollah military complex and terror infrastructures in Naqura and Yarine, in southern Lebanon".
And
while Qatar speaks of "a difficult phase" and "stalled" in the negotiations for a truce in Gaza, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is expected in Turkey over the weekend
by President Erdogan, for whom the Islamic faction "is not a terrorist organization". "It is Netanyahu who is dragging the region into war to stay in power", was the accusation launched today by Ankara through the mouth of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.