OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel launched more deadly strikes on besieged Gaza on Thursday as Western governments unveiled sweeping sanctions against Iran’s military drone programme in response to the country’s unprecedented attack on its arch enemy Israel.
World powers have been watching nervously since Israel vowed to retaliate against Iran for the weekend assault, with fears soaring that escalating tit-for-tat attacks could push the region towards wider war.
Further stoking tensions, Iran warned on Thursday that if Israel struck Iranian atomic sites during its expected retaliation, Tehran would in turn target Israeli “nuclear facilities”.
And more than six months into the bloodiest ever Gaza war, the Israeli army said it had bombed dozens of targets in the territory, as Qatar said efforts to broker a truce have stalled.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed to destroy Hamas over its October 7 attack that started the war, has stressed that Israel “reserves the right to protect itself” against Iran.
The Islamic republic last weekend carried out its first ever attack to directly target its regional foe but Israel, backed by its allies, intercepted most of the 300 missiles and drones, and suffered no deaths. Iran’s attack was retaliation for an April 1 air strike, widely blamed on Israel, which levelled its consulate in Damascus and killed seven Revolutionary Guards.
The international community has urged de-escalation since Iran’s attack, which came after months of violence involving Israel and Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
“The Middle East is on a precipice,” UN chief Antonio Guterres warned on Thursday.
“One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable —- a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved,” he told the UN Security Council.
The United States, Israel’s top ally and military supplier, has made clear it won’t join any Israeli attack on Iran, instead unveiling new sanctions on Thursday against the country’s military drone programme.
“We are holding Iran accountable,” US President Joe Biden said, adding that he had discussed ramping up economic pressure on Tehran with other leaders at a G7 meeting in Capri, Italy.
The US sanctions target 16 people and two entities involved in producing the drones used in Iran’s attack, as well as companies providing parts to the country’s steel industry. Washington added that the United Kingdom would impose sanctions on Iran’s drone and missile programme, which was also the target of promised sanctions announced by the European Union on Wednesday.