"Israel Please Stop"... International Community Shaken by Strong Retaliation Warning

As Israel continues to emphasize its response to Iran's first mainland attack, international concerns are growing. Israel has declared that it will retaliate without triggering a full-scale war but remains silent on specific methods.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
Photo by Yonhap News

According to DPA news agency on the 15th (local time), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu privately met with ministers from the ruling Likud party and reiterated the intention to respond cleverly to Iran's drone and missile attacks.

Israel's Channel 12 reported that the wartime cabinet is discussing options that focus on painful retaliation against Iran without triggering a full-scale war. This is intended to send a strong message that Iran's attacks will not be tolerated. However, the broadcast added that the wartime cabinet aims to choose methods that are not opposed by allies such as the United States.

In a statement on the same day, Prime Minister Netanyahu called for international support for retaliation against Iran, saying, "The international community must unite to resist Iran's attack that threatens world peace."

Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi also warned of retaliation, stating, "There will be a response to the cruise missile and drone attacks launched on Israeli territory." Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said, "We will respond at a time of our choosing."

On the same day, the Israeli military issued a statement regarding the bombing of the Iranian consulate in Syria, which was the direct cause of Iran's mainland attack, claiming, "All those killed in the bombing were involved in terrorism targeting Israel." In the statement, Hagari said, "Those killed in Damascus were members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, who participated in terrorism against Israel," adding, "Among these terrorist informants were Hezbollah and Iranian collaborators."

As Israel again warned of retaliation, raising fears of escalation, major countries simultaneously urged both sides to exercise restraint.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, visiting China, called Israel's defense against over 300 Iranian drone and missile attacks "a success that must not be wasted" and urged efforts to ease tensions.

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized in an interview with French BFMTV, "We will do everything necessary to prevent rising tensions in the region."

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also stated in a House of Commons speech, "We stand in solidarity with Israel facing (Iran's) attacks and will soon discuss with Prime Minister Netanyahu how to prevent escalation," adding, "All parties need to exercise restraint."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also expressed extreme concern about rising tensions in the Middle East during a briefing and reiterated Russia's position, urging "all countries in the region to exercise restraint."

Earlier, on the 13th, President Joe Biden conveyed to Prime Minister Netanyahu during a phone call his opposition to any Israeli retaliation against Iran.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.