Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday
that his country will be the only one to decide how and how it will respond to the massive airstrike
carried out by Iran earlier this week, dismissing calls for restraint from its allies.
This leaves the region primed for further escalation after months of turmoil sparked by the ongoing war in Gaza.
Since the attack, Israel's allies
have urged the country to stop any response
that could provoke an escalation. These calls were repeated on Wednesday during visits by the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom and Germany.
The diplomatic pressure came as Iran's president warned that even the "smallest" invasion of its territory would provoke a "huge and severe" response. Meanwhile, violence escalated on Wednesday between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group, which fired a barrage of rockets into northern Israel.
At least 14 Israeli soldiers were wounded in the attack
, six of them seriously, the army said.
At a meeting with his cabinet on Wednesday, Netanyahu said he met with both ministers and thanked them for their countries' support. But he noted that Israel will decide for itself how to respond, despite "all kinds of suggestions and advice" from Israel's allies, some of whom, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and France, helped it repel the Iranian attack with drones and missiles.
“I want to be clear: we will make our decision for ourselves.
The State of Israel will do what is necessary to defend itself
,” Netanyahu said.
The options
Despite the harsh rhetoric, it seems unlikely that Israel will directly attack Iran without the support of at least its main ally, the United States. But it could resort to quieter methods, such as attacking high-ranking Iranian commanders or Iranian-backed groups in other countries, or launching a cyberattack.
It is unclear how Iran would respond, given the rising tensions. Any incorrect calculation by either side
risks sparking a regional war.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden's administration
announced new sanctions against Iran
and has worked to coordinate a global condemnation of the attack while urging the parties to de-escalate the conflict. US officials reported earlier this week that Biden told Netanyahu that Washington would not participate in any offensive against Iran.
Over the weekend, Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in response to an apparent Israeli attack on Iran's embassy compound in Syria on April 1, which killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals.
Israel claimed that it and its allies successfully intercepted almost all of the missiles and drones.
A seven-year-old girl was injured in the attack
, which did not cause any deaths or significant damage.
Israel and Iran have fought a shadow war for decades, but the weekend attack was Iran's first direct military offensive against Israel.
With tensions rising, Israel's allies have insisted on a message of restraint.
On Wednesday morning, British Chancellor David Cameron and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, who visited the region separately,
called for calm.
Cameron said that “it is clear that the Israelis are making a decision to act” against Iran, but I hope they do so “in a smart and tough way, and that also does the least possible to escalate the conflict.” Cameron spoke after meeting Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose position is largely symbolic.
Baerbock said Germany remains “in total solidarity with Israel,” but called for restraint.
“Everyone must now act prudently and responsibly. I'm not talking about giving up. “I am talking about prudent restraint, which is nothing less than strength,” the Foreign Minister told the press. “Because Israel has already shown strength with its defensive victory over the weekend.”
Source: AP and EFE
P.B.