Israel has vowed to respond to Iran's unprecedented weekend attack
World
Israel has vowed to respond to Iran’s unprecedented weekend attack,
NEW YORK (AP) - Israel has vowed to respond to Iran’s unprecedented weekend attack, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of fighting in Gaza. Israel’s allies have been urging Israel to hold back on any response to the attack that could spiral.
Officials at a Group of Seven meeting in Italy on Thursday are calling for new sanctions against Iran over the attack.
The Iranian attack on Saturday marked the first time that Tehran has launched a direct military assault on Israel. Israeli authorities said Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles, 99% of which were intercepted by air defenses in tandem with the U.S., Britain, France and Jordan. The attack took place less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consulate building in Damascus.
Regional tensions have increased since the start of the latest Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, when Hamas and Islamic Jihad — two militant groups backed by Iran — carried out a cross-border attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. Israel responded with an offensive in Gaza that has caused widespread devastation and killed more than 33,900 people, according to local health officials.
The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to vote Friday afternoon on a resolution that would give a green light for a Palestinian state to join the United Nations as a full member. Arab nations are pressing for a vote on Thursday.
