Israel launched direct strikes against Iran early Saturday in a high-stakes retaliation to Tehran’s ballistic missile barrage earlier this month.
Israel said it hit military targets, which did not include energy infrastructure, according to an Israeli military source.
In a related development, Four members of Iran’s military were killed in the attack, according to state-run media, and Tehran said afterwards that it is “entitled” to defend itself. But Iran appeared to downplay the strikes overall, reporting limited damage at military sites.
In a statement, President Joe Biden urged Israel to plan its operation against Iran in a way that would prevent further escalation.
According to a senior US administration official, world leaders have urged the two parties to prevent a larger regional conflict.
In the meantime, the UN human rights head claims Israel is “exposing an entire population to bombing, siege and risk of starvation.” At the same time, Gaza’s health ministry reports that Israeli forces have arrested male employees during a raid at Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern part of the enclave.
UN Security Council to meet Monday over Israel’s direct strikes on Iran
In lieu of the foregoing, the United Nations Security Council has scheduled a meeting for Monday.
This is according to Israel’s mission to the UN, which said that their Iranian counterpart initiated the idea of a Security Council meeting by writing to the Security Council in a letter through Iran’s permanent mission to the UN.
Iran claims that Israel’s direct strikes early Saturday violated international law while constituting what it described as a “serious violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Iran.
The Iranian permanent mission to the UN, in its letter, also noted that Israel’s attack was “a flagrant breach of international law and the United Nations Charter.”
Responding to Iran’s request for a meeting, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said the request was “another attempt by Iran to harm us, this time in the political arena.”
Danon vowed to “stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself”, claiming that Iran’s statements that Israel has violated international law were “ridiculous.”
“Iran will not be allowed to continue hiding behind its affiliates; as long as Iran continues to threaten and try to harm us, it will pay the price,” Danon said.
Recall that Israel reportedly said it hit military targets in Iran during its high-stakes retaliation to Tehran’s ballistic missile barrage earlier this month.
According to sources, the strikes did not include energy infrastructure. However, four members of Iran’s military were reportedly killed in the attack.
