American General Michael Erik Kurilla, in charge of the Middle East, is in Israel on Friday April 12 to discuss with senior military officials “security threats in the region”, in a context of escalation with Iran, announced the United States Department of Defense. Tehran again threatened on Wednesday to “to punish” Israel, after an attack on April 1 on the Iranian consulate in Damascus (Syria) which left 16 dead, including seven members of the Revolutionary Guard Corps. These Threats of retaliation from Iran are raising tension in the Middle East, sparking calls for restraint. Follow our live stream.
The United States promises “unwavering support” for Israel. US President Joe Biden pledged support “unshakeable” to its close Israeli partner, as Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Israel “must be punished and will be punished”. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated Thursday the “unwavering support” from Washington towards the Jewish state “in the face of growing threats from Iran”.
“Israel will respond.” “If Iran carries out an attack from its territory, Israel will respond and attack Iran”warned Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz. “The State of Israel will not tolerate an Iranian attack on its territory”said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during an interview with his American counterpart on Thursday.
The head of Iranian diplomacy is tempering. After talks with his German, Australian and British counterparts, the head of Iranian diplomacy, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, discussed the “need” for Tehran to respond to the strike against its consulate in Damascus, while seeking to “avoid tension”. “I declared that Iran was not seeking to broaden the scope of the war”he assured on X. American Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Chinese, Turkish and Saudi counterparts, calling on them to put pressure on Tehran against any attack targeting Israel.
Renting hostages in Gaza will require “time and security”. A senior Hamas official warned Thursday that the location hostages held in the Gaza Strip will ask for “time and safety”, two conditions that a truce in the fighting with Israel is likely to promote. The mediating countries are awaiting responses from Israel and Hamas to their latest truce proposal.