IIsrael wants to strengthen its air defense against the backdrop of serious threats from Iran. After assessing the situation, it was decided to increase the number of personnel and call up missile defense reservists, the Israeli military announced on Wednesday evening. The army did not explicitly state the reasons for this. However, Israeli media reported that the background was the threats from Tehran.
After the suspected Israeli airstrike on an Iranian embassy building in the Syrian capital Damascus with several deaths, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said the attack “will not go unanswered.” Head of state Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also threatened retaliation.
Iran threatens retaliation
Two brigadier generals and five other members of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard were killed in Monday's attack. According to the Iranian news agency Tasnim, six Syrian citizens were also killed. The Revolutionary Guards are Iran's elite armed forces and are considered more powerful than the country's conventional armed forces. The Iranian Foreign Ministry believes that arch-enemy Israel carried out the attack. According to the US government, Israel was also responsible. The Israeli side did not comment on the incident.
USA “frustrated” with Israel’s actions after death of Gaza helpers
Meanwhile, Israel continues to grapple with the fallout from its deadly airstrike on foreign aid workers from the World Center Kitchen organization in the embattled Gaza Strip. Israel's most important ally, the USA, was openly frustrated by the actions of the Israeli army. US National Security Council communications director John Kirby said on Wednesday that the incident marked “the culmination of similar events” and that US President Joe Biden had expressed “his outrage, his frustration” over it. It's not the first time something like this has happened, Kirby said. “And yes, we are frustrated about it.”
Seven employees of the aid organization World Central Kitchen were killed in an air strike by the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip on Monday evening. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the army spoke of an accidental hit and a serious mistake. Biden then made serious accusations against Israel. “This is not an isolated case,” complained Biden in a written statement on Tuesday evening (local time). “This conflict is one of the worst in recent memory in terms of the number of aid workers killed.”
Kirby made it clear with regard to the Israelis: “We continue to support their right to defend themselves. And we will continue to do that.” Nevertheless, the US government is concerned about Israel’s actions. Every day we talk about the way war is waged.
USA sticks to plans for temporary port off Gaza
Despite the deaths of the aid workers, the USA is sticking to plans for a temporary port in the sea off the Gaza Strip. The incident has no impact on efforts to build the pier to deliver aid to Gaza by sea, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Wednesday. They want to move forward with the project as quickly as possible.