Iran's Foreign Ministry: Response Will Be Strong and Immediate

Iran will respond within seconds if Israel attempts to attack its territory again. This was stated on April 16 by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani. According to him, in the event of an Israeli attack, Tehran would deliver a much more powerful blow to the Jewish state compared to previous incidents.

“If Israel tries to touch Iranian soil, it will definitely receive a much stronger blow than before. If it makes another mistake, the response will be strong and immediate, measured not in days or hours, but in seconds,” IRNA quoted him as saying.

On April 13, Iran launched drone and ballistic missile attacks on Israel in response to an Israeli strike on the Islamic Republic’s consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that Iran's attack was successfully repelled. It was later revealed that Israel intends to create a regional coalition against the threat posed by Iran.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated that the attack was a declaration of war. CNN, citing its source, reported that Israel has not yet made a final decision on how to respond to Iran's attack. It was mentioned that the Israeli military leadership faces a choice: to deliver a powerful retaliatory strike or to opt for a more measured decision.

Meanwhile, the White House announced that U.S. armed forces do not intend to participate in any retaliatory military operation against Iran if it occurs. As Reuters noted, U.S. President Joe Biden personally warned Netanyahu that “the United States will not participate in a counter-offensive against Iran if Israel opts to retaliate for a massive drone and missile strike on its territory overnight.”