French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanen today asked police prefectures to increase security in front of synagogues as well as in front of religious schools, a day after Iran's attack on Israel and on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Darmanen asked the police to have a visible presence in front of the "most sensitive" places of worship and buildings.
The French minister said that, as the Passover from April 22 to 30 approaches, more attention should also be paid to gatherings that attract large numbers of people.
Darmanen said that from tomorrow, guards should be present in front of the entrance of religious schools during the entrance and exit of students.
That decision was made due to "a very high level of terrorist threat", "a high level of anti-Semitic acts and tensions at the international level", including Iran's attack on Israel, Darmanen added.
(BETA)
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said tonight that neither the region nor the world can afford more wars, after the Iranian attack on Israel.
"Neither the region nor the world can afford more wars," Guterres said and called for maximum restraint.
At the UN Security Council session on Iran's attack on Israel, Guterres said that the Middle East is on the edge of a precipice.
"The Middle East is on the edge of a precipice. The people of the region are facing real danger from the devastating spread of the conflict. It is time to calm tensions and exercise maximum restraint," Guterres said.
The session of the UN Security Council was convened after Iran's attack on Israel during the previous night.
Iran launched a major drone and missile attack last night, the first direct attack on Israeli territory, sparking fears of a wider regional conflict.
The Lebanese Hezbollah movement today congratulated Iran on the attack on Israel, saying that Iran had "achieved" its goals.
The Shiite pro-Iranian movement congratulated the attack against the "common enemy of Israel", assuring that the objectives were achieved "despite the involvement of the US and its international allies".
The Lebanese movement also hailed "Tehran's brave and wise decision to resolutely respond to the Zionist attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus."
(BETA)
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stephane Sejourne, said that tomorrow he will call the Iranian ambassador in France, to whom he will send a "harsh message" after the Iranian attack on Israel during the previous night.
"For tomorrow, I have asked the service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to call the Iranian ambassador to convey a harsh message to him," Sejourne told the local public television France 2 this evening.
The French minister said that the roles must not be reversed.
"The Iranians attacked Israel. Since 1979, Iran has placed hatred against Israel at the heart of its diplomacy," added Sežurne.
As reported by the France Presse agency, Tehran announced during the day that it had invited the ambassadors of Great Britain, France and Germany to protest "irresponsible attitudes of certain officials of those countries regarding Iran's response to a series of actions by the Israeli regime against the citizens and interests of Iran".
According to the Israeli military, Iran launched "300 killer drones, ballistic and cruise missiles" overnight between Saturday and Sunday.
France intercepted several missiles to protect French bases in the region, in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, Sejourne said, adding that France did so because "it is an actor in regional security."
According to him, the Iranian attack not only threatened Israel, but also violated the security of French forces and violated the airspace of Arab partners.
Sežurne called for calming the tension in that region.
(BETA)
Iranian authorities said today that they have notified the US of their intention to conduct a "limited" operation against Israel in response to a deadly attack attributed to Israel in early April on the Iranian consulate in Syria.
"We have informed the White House that our operation will be limited and minimal and will aim to punish the Israeli regime," said Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdolahian.
The Iranian minister spoke during a briefing with foreign diplomats in Tehran about the drone and rocket attack launched on Israel last night by the Revolutionary Guard, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic.
Amir-Abdolahian told the ambassadors that Tehran informed neighboring countries of its planned attack "72 hours before the operation".
Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed to "punish" Israel for the deadly attack that killed seven Iranian soldiers in Damascus on April 1.
"We have informed our brothers and friends in the region, as well as the countries where the US military bases are located, that our goal is only to punish the Israeli regime," the minister said.
"We don't want to target the American people or American bases in the region," he added, warning that Iran could target American military positions if they were involved in the "defense and support" of Israel.
(BETA)
The United States of America will not participate in Israel's possible response against Iran after an unprecedented air attack on Israel, an unnamed high-ranking American official said tonight.
"We will not be part of any response that they (Israel) intend to implement. We do not see ourselves participating in such an act," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
According to him, Israel does not "want" escalation with Iran despite the air attack on that country.
"Israel has made it clear to us that it is not seeking further escalation with Iran," the US official said.
(BETA)
Today, the leaders of the Group of Seven most industrially developed countries in the world (G7) expressed their "full support for Israel and its people" after the attack by Iran, and confirmed the country's "commitment to security".
"We express our solidarity and full support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment to their security," said a joint statement transmitted by the Italian presidency after today's online meeting.
G7 leaders pledged to strengthen mutual cooperation to provide more humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
Iran launched a major drone and missile attack last night, the first direct attack on Israeli territory, sparking fears of a wider regional conflict.
According to the Israeli military, the attack was "prevented", while Iran welcomed what it sees as a justified response to the Israeli attack that destroyed its consulate in Damascus.
The group of seven most industrially developed countries in the world consists of: USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy.
(BETA)
In an Israeli attack today, the building of the Lebanese movement Hezbollah in eastern Lebanon was hit, a few hours after the big attack by Iran on Israel the previous night, sources from the pro-Iranian Hezbollah and the Israeli army announced.
"In the Israeli attack, a two-story building belonging to Hezbollah was targeted" near the city of Balbek, a stronghold of the Lebanese movement near the border with Syria.
The Lebanese agency ANI reported that "an enemy attack destroyed a building in the village of Nabi Chit", not far from the city of Balbek.
An AFP photographer at the scene saw the building completely destroyed.
An unnamed Israeli military spokesman said Israeli fighters targeted an "important" Hezbollah weapons production site "deep" in Lebanon in response to the movement's overnight attacks.
For nearly six months, daily violence has pitted the Israeli army against Hezbollah on the Israeli-Lebanese border, which claims to support the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in its war against Israel in the Gaza Strip.
Pro-Iranian Hezbollah, which has an arsenal of rockets and precision missiles, has targeted Israeli military positions and sites near the border, and Israel has responded by bombing Lebanese territory, mostly in the south, including targeted attacks on Hezbollah and Hamas officials.
(BETA)
The G7 leaders, who met today via video conference, unanimously condemned Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel, European Council President Charles Michel said after the meeting, stressing that "all parties must exercise restraint."
"Together with the G7 leaders, we unanimously condemned Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel. All parties must exercise restraint. We will continue all our efforts to reduce tensions," Michel wrote on the X platform.
Iran launched a major drone and missile attack last night, the first direct attack on Israeli territory, sparking fears of a wider regional conflict.
According to the Israeli military, the attack was "prevented", while Iran welcomed what it sees as a justified response to the Israeli attack that destroyed its consulate in Damascus.
Michel, who called for an end to the Gaza crisis as soon as possible, especially through an immediate ceasefire, said the situation in the Middle East would be discussed at an EU summit scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
The group of seven most industrially developed countries in the world consists of: USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy.
(BETA)
Israel has an opportunity to form a strategic alliance against Iran after its massive drone and missile attack were jointly repelled, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said, as reported by Reuters.
The attack was repelled together with the United States and other countries, Galant said in a statement.
"We have an opportunity to form a strategic alliance against this serious threat from Iran, which is threatening to put nuclear explosives on these missiles, which could be an extremely serious threat," he added.
US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US will not participate in any Israeli counter-offensive against Iran, a White House official said, as reported by Reuters.
Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday night in response to an alleged Israeli attack on Iran's Syrian consulate on April 1. In a statement released late Saturday after the attack, Biden said he told Netanyahu that Israel had "demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend itself and defeat even unprecedented attacks."
Biden did not say in his statement whether he and Netanyahu discussed a possible Israeli response or potential American involvement.
John Kirby, the White House's chief spokesman for national security, told the ABC program today that the United States will continue to help Israel defend itself, but that it does not want war with Iran, reports Reuters.
.Asked if the US would support Israeli retaliation in Iran, Kirby said "our commitment is firm" to defending Israel and "helping Israel defend itself."
"And as the president has said many times, we're not looking for a wider war in the region. We're not looking for a war with Iran. And I think I'll leave it at that," Kirby added.
"We are not looking for an escalation of tensions in the region. We are not looking for a wider conflict," Kirby said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today demanded a "decisive and united" global response to the "terror of Iran and Russia", condemning Tehran's attack on Israel the previous night.
Turkey called on Tehran today to avoid a "new escalation" after last night's Iranian attacks on Israel, a Turkish diplomatic source said.
"Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke by phone today with his Iranian counterpart and told him that we do not want a new escalation in the region," said the source, who did not want to be named.
According to the source, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that "the retaliatory operation against Israel is over," but that Iran reserves the right to act "with the utmost firmness" in the event of "a new Israeli attack."
(BETA)
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borelj, announced that after the Iranian attacks on Israel, he convened an extraordinary video meeting of the Union's foreign affairs ministers for Tuesday.
"Our goal is to contribute to de-escalation and security in the region," Borelj wrote on the X network.
In connection with tonight's Iranian attacks on Israel, a video meeting of the Group of 7 of the richest liberal democracies was called, as well as an extraordinary meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel overnight in response to an airstrike on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Syria earlier this month. The Israeli army announced that, with the help of its allies, it managed to intercept 99 percent of those missiles and that no major damage was done.
The world fears the escalation of the conflict in the region, where the war against Israel and the Palestinian Hamas in Gaza has been going on for more than six months, with increased clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army. Iran supports both Hamas and Hezbollah.
(BETA)
Israel's interception of dozens of Iranian missiles and drones overnight cost Tel Aviv up to 1,35 billion dollars (five billion shekels), Israeli media reported, TRT Balkan reports.
The daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted General Ram Aminash, a former financial adviser to the Israeli Chief of General Staff, as saying that "defense costs are estimated at between $1,08-1,35 billion (four and five billion shekels)," stressing that he was only talking about interception.
"One 'Arrow' missile used to intercept an Iranian ballistic missile costs 3,5 million dollars, while the price of one 'Magic Wand' missile is one million dollars, in addition to the flight of planes that participated in the interception of Iranian drones," Aminash said.
Earlier today, Israel's Haaretz newspaper quoted Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari as saying that about 350 rockets and drones were launched from Iran at Israel, most of which were intercepted.
He confirmed that there was minor damage at the Nevatim Air Base in Beer Sheva, while "99 percent of threats to Israel have been intercepted."
"25 out of 30 cruise missiles were intercepted, and out of more than 120 ballistic missiles, only a few of them penetrated Israeli territory and landed at the Nevatim air base," he added.
He added that "Iran's attempt to destroy the capabilities of the Israeli Air Force has failed and the Nevatim base continues to operate."
The UN Security Council should meet at around 16 pm local time, after Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, requested an emergency session from the ambassador of Malta, which presides over the Security Council.
Erdan requested an urgent meeting of the Security Council in order to unequivocally condemn Iran for "serious violations of international law", and to declare the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran a terrorist organization, Erdan said, reports N1.
The Iranian mission to the UN announced during the night that military action against Israel was launched in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, in response to the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
“As far as we're concerned, this is over and this matter can be considered over. If, on the other hand, the regime in Israel makes the next mistake, Iran's response will be much more severe," said the Iranian Mission to the UN.
Israel has not yet decided on a possible response to the Iranian attack, but it will be the topic of the session of the War Cabinet and members of the Israeli government scheduled for 15 pm, the Times of Israel reported.
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The Russian Foreign Ministry called on "all parties involved to exercise restraint" after the Iranian attacks on Israel on the night between Saturday and Sunday.
"We call on all involved parties to exercise restraint. We are counting on the countries in the region to find a solution to the current problems through political and diplomatic means," the announcement reads.
Moscow also expressed "extreme concern over the latest dangerous escalation in the region."
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that it has repeatedly warned that due to the lack of solutions to numerous crises in the Middle East, especially in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone, "increased instability" may occur.
As France Press writes, Moscow tries to traditionally maintain relations with the main powers in the region, but the conflict in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas has damaged its relations with Israel, while strengthening its political and military ties with Tehran.
(Beta)
Israel is carefully weighing its steps after a major attack by Iran, Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in an interview with Israel's military radio station, while Iranian officials are warning him not to retaliate.
"We said: if Iran attacks Israel, we will attack Iran. And that commitment is still valid," Kac said.
However, he said that the specific question of a possible response would be discussed in an appropriate framework under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Kac expressed his belief that appropriate and correct decisions will be made there.
Israel's Channel 12 television and other media reported that the war cabinet would meet at 15:30 p.m. local time to discuss next steps.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi assessed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "taught a lesson" to the country's greatest enemy, Israel.
He warned Israel's allies not to plan counterattacks: "We advise the supporters of the occupation regime to appreciate this responsible and proportionate action by the Islamic Republic of Iran."
He warned that his country's reaction would be "stronger" in the event of "reckless behavior" by Israel, following Iran's unprecedented overnight attack.
(Radio Free Europe)
Sardar Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, said that Iran had sent a message to the US through the Swiss Embassy warning Washington that if it cooperated with Israel in their potential future actions, US bases "will not have any security" and will be "solved". , reports CNN.
Bagheri said that, from Iran's perspective, the military operation against Israel is "finished".
However, he emphasized that the armed forces remain vigilant and are ready to "act if necessary," he said in an interview with state-run IRINN TV.
"If the Zionist regime responds, our next operation will be much bigger," Bagheri said.
US President Joe Biden conveyed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu US opposition to any retaliatory action against Iran, "Reuters" reports. On the other hand, as reported by "Financial Express", Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia will support Iran if the United States attacks Iranian soil as a form of support for Israel.
"With Iran attacking Israel, Hezbollah and the Houthis, expect global commodity prices to start rising tomorrow. The West has been misled into supporting Israel, especially in its attack on the Palestinians and the citizens of Gaza. Russia will do everything possible to avoided the possibility of the Third World War," said Putin.
Meanwhile, the chief spokesman of the Israeli army said that France was among the countries that participated in the defense against Iran's attack on Israel. "France has very good technology, planes, radars - and I know they have received input in patrolling the airspace," he said, adding that there was no accurate information on whether French planes shot down any of the missiles launched by Iran, reports "Reuters".
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