Iran has recently concluded its largest-ever barrage of missiles fired at Israel, prompting warnings of potential further ballistic responses. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized during the Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit the need for Israel to understand that it cannot act with impunity. He stated that any military attack or terrorist act would be met with a decisive response from Iran's armed forces.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened with the country's security heads following the missile attacks, expressing concerns about the escalating tensions and the possibility of a broader regional conflict. The situation was further highlighted by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, who labeled the ongoing violence in the Middle East as a 'collective genocide' perpetrated by Israel.
The missile strikes from Iran led to nearly 10 million people seeking refuge in bomb shelters in Israel. This marked the first instance in Israeli history where densely populated cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem faced such significant attacks. Tragically, the only reported fatality was a Palestinian man in the West Bank.
President Biden weighed in on the situation, indicating that while Israel has the right to respond to the attacks, any retaliation should be proportional. However, he explicitly stated that he would not support Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, despite longstanding threats from Israel in this regard.
