Iran warns of ‘massive response’ if Israel retaliates as UK says Israelis will do so

The Iranian president, on Wednesday (Apr 17) warned that a “tiniest invasion” by Israel in response to Tehran’s attack over the weekend, when it launched a barrage of drones and missiles towards Israel, would trigger a “massive response”. Meanwhile, Britain’s foreign secretary David Cameron who is in the midst of a visit to Israel says that the Jewish state has clearly decided to retaliate against Iran.

Iran warns of ‘massive response’

On Wednesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi while addressing the annual army parade said that Saturday’s attack on Israel was a limited one and if Tehran wanted to carry out a bigger attack, “nothing would remain from the Zionist regime,” as quoted by the country’s official IRNA news agency.

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Iran and Israel have waged a shadow war for decades, but the strike over the weekend was the first direct Iranian military attack on Israel.

Tehran launched more than 300 drones and missiles targeting Israel after what it called an Israeli strike on its consulate in Syria’s Damascus, on April 1 which killed seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officers.

However, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that 99 per cent of the projectiles were intercepted by its air defence systems.

Since the attack, Iran has reiterated that it does not want to escalate tensions but warned that if Israel chooses to retaliate it will launch a “strong and fierce response”.

UK’s Cameron says Israel has decided to retaliate

Israel has repeatedly said that it will retaliate against Iran’s attack over the weekend, which was seemingly confirmed yet again by the British foreign minister, on Wednesday.

Cameron, who is in the midst of a visit to Jerusalem said that he urged the Israeli leaders to do “as little as possible to escalate” tensions in the Middle East.

During his visit, Cameron also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said that he was there to “show solidarity after that appalling attack by Iran.”

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“It’s right to have made our views clear about what should happen next, but it’s clear the Israelis are making a decision to act,” the UK foreign secretary told reporters.

Cameron also called on the Israeli government to be “smart as well as tough,” adding that the “real need” is to focus back on the Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas and the situation in Gaza.

“But the real need is to refocus back on Hamas, back on the hostages, back on getting the aid in, back on getting a pause in the conflict in Gaza,” said the UK foreign secretary.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that she has made itclear during talks with Netanyahu in Jerusalem that theMiddle East must not be allowed to slide into a situation whose outcome is completely unpredictable.

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"Everyone must now act prudently and responsibly," saidBaerbock before departing Israel on Wednesday.

However, Netanyahu, on Wednesday said that while he appreciates the international support in defending Israel from Iran’s attack, his country would make its “own decisions”.

“We will make our decisions on our own, and the state of Israel will do what it needs to defend itself,” the Israeli PM said after meeting with German and British foreign ministers in Jerusalem.

Iran’s recent attack on Israel came more than six months into the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza which has caused tensions and flare-ups of violence across the Middle East sparking concerns that this attack could lead to a wider regional war.

(With inputs from agencies)