US will not take part in any Israeli retaliatory action against Iran
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[April 15, 2024]
By James Mackenzie, Parisa Hafezi and Jeff Mason
JERUSALEM/DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden warned Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the U.S. will not take part in a
counter-offensive against Iran, an option Netanyahu's war cabinet favors
after a mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory, according to
officials.
The threat of open warfare erupting between the arch Middle East foes
and dragging in the United States put the region on edge, triggering
calls for restraint from global powers and Arab nations.
"The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are
confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is
the time to defuse and de-escalate," United Nations Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres told a Security Council meeting called on Sunday in
response to the strikes.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood called on the council to
unequivocally condemn Iran's attack.
"Let me be clear: if Iran or its proxies take actions against the United
States or further action against Israel, Iran will be held responsible,"
he said.
Still, Biden told Netanyahu the U.S. would not participate in any
Israeli counter-offensive against Iran over the attack, a White House
official said.
U.S. State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also spoke
to counterparts including in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan,
stressing the need to avoid escalation, the importance of a coordinated
diplomatic response, and emphasizing the U.S. will continue to support
Israel's defense.
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LITTLE SERIOUS DAMAGE
Iran launched the attack over a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy
compound in Syria on April 1 that killed top Revolutionary Guards
commanders and followed months of clashes between Israel and Iran's
regional allies, triggered by the war in Gaza.
However, the attack by more than 300 missiles and drones caused only
modest damage in Israel. Most were shot down by Israel's Iron Dome
defense system and with help from the U.S., Britain, France and Jordan.
The only serious injury reported within Israel was a 7-year-old who was
hurt by shrapnel.
There also was little serious property damage reported. Authorities said
an Israeli Air Force base was hit but continued to operate as normal.
Asian shares fell and gold prices rose on Monday as risk sentiment took
a hit, though oil prices dipped.
"An attack was largely priced in the days leading up to it. Also the
limited damage and the fact that there was no loss of life means that
maybe Israel's response will be more measured," said Warren Patterson,
head of commodities strategy at ING.
"But clearly, there is still plenty of uncertainty and it all depends on
how Israel now responds."
Israeli officials said Netanyahu's five-member war cabinet favored
retaliation in a meeting on Sunday, although the panel was divided over
the timing and scale of any such response.
Two senior Israeli ministers signaled retaliation was not imminent and
that Israel would not act alone.
"We will build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran in the
fashion and timing that is right for us," centrist minister Benny Gantz
said ahead of a war cabinet meeting.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also said Israel had an opportunity to
form a strategic alliance "against this grave threat by Iran."
Israel remained on high alert, but authorities lifted some emergency
measures that had included a ban on some school activities and caps on
large gatherings.
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![](../images/041524PIX/news_f14.jpg)
The remains of a rocket booster that, according to Israeli
authorities critically injured a 7-year-old girl, after Iran
launched drones and missiles towards Israel, near Arad, Israel,
April 14, 2024. REUTERS/Christophe van der Perre
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Apr/15/images/ads/current/fcs_funeral_lda_border_04029022.png)
Iranian army chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri said on
television, "Our response will be much larger than tonight's
military action if Israel retaliates against Iran," and told
Washington that its bases could also be attacked if it helped Israel
retaliate.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Tehran had
informed the United States its attack on Israel would be limited and
for self-defense and that regional neighbors had been informed of
its planned strikes 72 hours in advance.
Turkish, Jordanian and Iraqi officials said on Sunday that Iran gave
wide notice days before the attack, but U.S. officials said Tehran
did not warn Washington and was aiming to cause significant damage.
The leaders of the Group of 7 nations condemned Iran's attack and
said they would work to stabilize the situation, warning in a
statement that Tehran risked "an uncontrollable regional
escalation."
MOTIVATIONS FOR ATTACK DEBATED
Analysts debated whether Iran's attack was calibrated to cause
genuine devastation in Israel, or to save face at home after vows of
revenge while avoiding a major new war.
"I think the Iranians took into consideration the fact that Israel
has a very, very strong multi-layer anti-missile system and they
probably took into consideration that there will not be too many
casualties," said Sima Shine, a former senior Mossad official at the
Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.
In Gaza, Iran's attack drew applause as rare payback for an Israeli
offensive that has killed at least 33,000 people.
"We have been slaughtered for over six months and no one dared to do
anything. Now Iran, after its consulate was hit, is hitting back at
Israel and this brings joy into our hearts," said Majed Abu Hamza of
Gaza City.
The war in Gaza, which Israel invaded after an attack by Iran-backed
Hamas on Oct. 7, has spread to fronts with Iran-aligned groups in
Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
In Israel, although there was alarm at the first direct attack from
another country in more than three decades, the mood contrasted with
the trauma after the Hamas-led attack on Oct.7.
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"I think we've been given license to respond now. I mean it was a
major attack from Iran... I imagine Israel will respond and may be
over quickly and get back to normal life," said Jeremy Smith, 60.
In Iran, state television showed small gatherings in several cities
celebrating the attack, but in private some Iranians were worried
about Israel's response.
"Iran gave Netanyahu a golden opportunity to attack our country. But
we, the people of Iran, will bear the brunt of this conflict," said
Shima, a nurse, from Tehran.
($1 = 3.7622 shekels)
(Reporting by James MacKenzie and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem, Parisa
Hafezi in Dubai, Jeff Mason and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington,
Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman and Nidal al-Mughrabi and Adam Makary
in Cairo; Writing by Michael Georgy, Angus McDowall, David Morgan
and Patricia Zengerle and Lincoln Feast; Editing by William Mallard,
Sharon Singleton, William Maclean, Lisa Shumaker and Michael Perry)
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