INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Israelis awaited word this week on how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would respond to Iran&s first-ever direct attack as international
pressure for restraint grew amid fears of an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.Netanyahu on Monday summoned his war cabinet for
the second time in less than 24 hours to weigh a response to Iran&s weekend missile and drone attack, a government source told
Reuters.Military Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said Israel would respond
He provided no details.&This launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles, and drones into Israeli territory will be met with a response,& he
said at the Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel, which sustained some damage in Saturday night&s attack.The prospect of Israeli retaliation
has alarmed many Iranians already enduring economic pain and tighter social and political controls since protests in 2022-23.Iran launched
the attack in retaliation for what it says was an April 1 Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus, and signaled that it does
not seek further escalation, Reuters reported.While the attack caused no deaths and limited damage, it has increased fears of open warfare
between the long-time foes and fuelled concerns that violence rooted in the Gaza war is spreading.U.S
President Joe Biden told Netanyahu at the weekend that the United States, which helped Israel blunt the Iranian attack, will not participate
in an Israeli counter-strike.Iran&s responseThe Iranian Army Chief Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said on Monday however that
Iran will not hesitate to give a &stormy and unified& response to any act of aggression against it.In a message marking the National Army
Day, Mousavi said great defensive measures of the country&s Army and Armed Forces have resulted in strong deterrent power.According to him,
Iran will respond to any aggression against the country&s national interests, borders and security, Iran&s Press TV reported.Mousavi
emphasized that the retaliatory strikes, dubbed Operation True Promise, revealed only a part of the capacity and strong will of the Iranian
Armed Forces and were carried out in cooperation among the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Division, the Army, and the
Defense Ministry.Press TV reported that the Israeli airstrikes on Iran&s embassy compound in Damascus killed two generals of Iran&s Islamic
Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, as well as five officers.In
response, on Saturday night, the IRGC targeted Israel with a barrage of drones and missiles
The extent of the damage on Israeli military bases is yet to be specified.Following the reprisal, Iran warned Israel against taking any
retaliatory actions and also urged the US to try not to involve itself in the conflict and signaled that it viewed the matter as
&concluded.&The post Israeli military vows response to Iran attack as calls for restraint mount first appeared on Ariana News.
