Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that Israel had delivered a “precise and powerful” blow to Iran’s missile production and defense capabilities. The high-profile airstrikes targeted strategic sites near Tehran and in the Iranian provinces of Ilam and Khuzestan. According to Netanyahu, the strikes “hit hard” at the core of Iran’s ability to produce missiles aimed at Israel, marking a significant escalation in the already volatile region. “We are prepared for all scenarios in every arena,” echoed Israeli army chief Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi, noting that the strike showed the scale of Israel’s defense against threats.
Iran, however, downplayed the damage. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remarked that Israel’s attack should “neither be downplayed nor exaggerated” and added that Iran is considering an appropriate response, one that would recalibrate Israel’s “calculations.” While Iran has yet to specify how it will respond to the strike, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran is not seeking war but will answer accordingly.
Amid the exchanges, the United States has weighed in, with President Joe Biden calling for restraint to prevent further escalation. Concerns over a wider Middle East conflict have intensified as Israel’s ongoing battles with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon continue to widen the scope of regional hostilities. The U.N. Security Council is expected to convene soon to address the Israeli strikes on Iran, underscoring the international community’s anxieties over a potential clash between Israel and Iran.
The situation along Israel’s northern border has also intensified. In Lebanon, heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah has spurred Israel to urge the evacuation of 14 villages in southern Lebanon. Over the weekend, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 19 people in southern Lebanese cities like Sidon and Marjayoun. Hezbollah responded with missile attacks, including a major salvo aimed at the Zevulon military industries facility in northern Israel, striking nearby civilian areas and leaving one Israeli woman critically injured.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant claimed that Iran’s ability to mobilize Hezbollah and Hamas has been significantly weakened. According to Gallant, Israel’s ongoing operations in Gaza have compromised Hamas’s command structure, while Hezbollah’s operational capabilities are reportedly diminished. However, both Hezbollah and Hamas assert that their command and missile capabilities remain intact, with Hezbollah continuing its exchanges with Israel across the Lebanese border.
In the backdrop of this escalating standoff, both sides are poised for what may come next. The stakes are high, with each move carrying the potential to push the entire region into deeper conflict, underscoring just how close Israel and Iran are to the edge of a wider confrontation.
