Iran Army Says Attack on Israel 'Achieved All Its Objectives,' Warns Against Any Retaliation

Iran achieved all of its objectives from the operation against Israel, said the chief of the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard on Sunday, after it conducted a massive attack on the Jewish state days after a deadly strike on its Damascus consulate.

The Iranian attack on Saturday, less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building, marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of rivalry.

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In an interview with state TV, Gen. Hossein Salami said they were still collecting information but that “the part of the hits that we have detailed and documented reports from the field show that this operation was more successful.” He also said the Iranian forces had carried out a limited operation that matched “the evil that the Zionist enemy had done.”

‘Our Response Will Be…’

Salami described the Israeli air defence system as complex, multi-layered and advanced and said passing through this system was a very difficult task. “It means designing an operation that can pass drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles through this space and destroy them (targets) on the ground with extremely high accuracy,” he said even as Israel hailed the “success” of its defences in the face of an unprecedented attack.

“Our response will be much larger than tonight’s military action if Israel retaliates against Iran,” armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri told state TV, adding that Tehran warned Washington via Switzerland that any backing of Israeli retaliation against Iran would result in U.S. regional bases being targeted.

“Our operations are over and we have no intention to continue them,” Bagheri said, before claiming that Iran’s attack had successfully targeted two Israeli military bases. The commander of the IRGC also warned Tehran would retaliate against any Israeli attack on its interests, officials or citizens.

‘US Opposes Counterattack’

US President Joe Biden reportedly told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would not aid any Israeli counterattack on Iran. US media reports said that that message was passed during a phone call between the pair. Biden told Netanyahu the US would oppose any Israeli counterattack.

An Israeli military spokesman said Sunday the launches numbered more than 300, but 99% of them were intercepted. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Iran fired 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles. Several ballistic missiles reached Israeli territory, causing minor damage to an air base.

This latest attack comes as Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel’s six-month war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. The war erupted after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a devastating cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others.

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How World Reacted

The UN Security Council has called an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss Iran’s recent attack on Israel. Israel has requested an urgent convening of the council and has demanded that the council unequivocally condemn Iran’s attack and declare the Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organisation.

India on Sunday called for “immediate de-escalation” after Iran launched its first direct military attack against Israel. India’s embassy in Israel also issued an advisory, urging its nationals to stay calm. “We are seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

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The MEA called for call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence, and return to the path of diplomacy “We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. Our Embassies in the region are in close touch with the Indian community. It is vital that security and stability are maintained in the region,” it added.

Along with India, and the UN, American President Biden was among the first to comment on the situation in the Middle East. He condemned Iran’s unprecedented air attack on Israel and convened a meeting of the G-7 leaders on Sunday to develop a coordinated response to the brazen assault. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned Iran’s reckless attack on Israel, stating it showed Iran’s intent on sowing chaos in its backyard. European Union, China, and Saudi Arabia also expressed concern about the escalation situation.

(With agency inputs)