Israel will respond to Iran’s attack, Britain’s
foreign minister says.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/04/17/world/iran-israel-gaza-war-news
For days,
Israel’s closest Western allies have pleaded with the country’s wartime
government not to risk igniting a wider war by responding too strongly to
Iran’s barrage of missiles and drones last weekend. And on Wednesday, the top
diplomats from Germany and Britain delivered that message in person to Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
But Mr.
Netanyahu emerged from those talks resolute that his country would not bow to
any outside pressure when choosing its response. He declared before a cabinet
meeting that Israel would “do everything necessary to defend itself” and warned
the allies that “we will make our own decisions,” according to his office.
The British
foreign secretary, David Cameron, acknowledged just before meeting with the
prime minister that Israel was unlikely to heed pleas to turn the other cheek.
“It is
clear that the Israelis are making a decision to act,” Mr. Cameron told the
BBC. “We hope that they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as
possible.”
The United
States, Britain and Germany have been urging Israel to avoid making moves that
could increase tension with Iran, which launched around 300 missiles and drones
on Saturday night in what was believed to be its first direct attack on Israel.
Most of the missiles and drones were shot down before they reached their
targets — thanks in part to the assistance of the United States, Britain,
France and Jordan — and the ones that got through did minimal damage.
Mr.
Netanyahu thanked Israel’s allies for their “support in words and support in
actions” in remarks before a cabinet meeting, according to his office. But he
added: “They also have all kinds of suggestions and advice. I appreciate it,
but I want to make it clear — we will make our own decisions.”
Iran warned
that it would react forcefully to any Israeli aggression, with the army’s
commander in chief, Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, saying on Wednesday: “We will
respond with more deadly weapons.”
Israel’s
war cabinet has met several times since the weekend with no apparent decision
on when and how to strike back against the attack. Officials are said to be
considering a range of options, from a direct strike on Iran to a cyberattack
or targeted assassinations, trying to send a clear message to Iran while not
sparking a major escalation.
“Israel
will respond when it sees fit,” an Israeli official said on Wednesday, adding
that it had “multiple ways” to do so. The official spoke on the condition of
anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Mr. Cameron
said that the Group of 7 nations, which includes the United States as well as
Britain and Germany, should work together to penalize Iran with sanctions. U.S.
and European officials said separately on Tuesday that they were considering
placing additional sanctions on Tehran that could target its oil revenue and
weapons programs.
Before the
meetings on Wednesday, the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said
that Iran’s actions had “led an entire region to the brink of the abyss.”
“The aim
now is to stop Iran without further escalation,” she said in a post on social
media on Tuesday. “Iran’s plan to sow further violence must not work.”
Both
ministers said they were also visiting to press for a humanitarian cease-fire
in Gaza and call attention to the continued captivity of the hostages held
there. Iran’s attack has shifted international focus away from the six-month
conflict.
Adam Rasgon
contributed reporting.
— Matthew
Mpoke Bigg
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