October 2, 2024
by Muhammad Junaid
LAHORE
World leaders have given mixed reactions over Iran’s latest attack on Israel with reportedly about 200 missiles, which Tehran says ‘was in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders, including Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh’.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed to have targeted three military bases near Tel Aviv but the Israeli military said most of the missiles were intercepted.
Israel has ramped up its military offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing at least 1,000 people over the past two weeks.
Responding to Iran’s action, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate, saying ‘Iran has made a big mistake and it will have to pay.’
איראן עשתה הערב טעות גדולה – והיא תשלם על כך. pic.twitter.com/B2yppgGqcE
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 1, 2024
‘Now is the moment’
Israel’s former PM Naftali Bennett also gave his opinion on X, saying that Israel could change Middle East. He also urged his government to ‘act now’.
Israel has now its greatest opportunity in 50 years, to change the face of the Middle East.
The leadership of Iran, which used to be good at chess, made a terrible mistake this evening.
We must act *now* to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, its central energy facilities, and to…
— Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט (@naftalibennett) October 1, 2024
‘An act of self-defense’
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran’s missile attack was an act of “self-defense” targeting only military and security sites used for attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.
He said if Israel decided to escalate the situation, Iran’s response would be even stronger and more powerful.
Earlier this evening, we exercised self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, targeting solely military & security sites in charge of genocide in #Gaza and #Lebanon.
We did so after exercising tremendous restraint for almost two months, to give space for a ceasefire in… pic.twitter.com/SJJrAhxIdN
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) October 1, 2024
‘The root of the problem’
‘Reckless and Brazen’
‘Complete failure of Biden administration’
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blamed the US for escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
“A bloody drama that is only gaining momentum. The White House’s inarticulate statements demonstrate complete helplessness in resolving crises. The efforts of (US Secretary of State Antony) Blinken have led to tens of thousands of victims and a stalemate,” she wrote in a telegram post.
‘Avoid further turmoil’
China has stressed the need for a ceasefire and urged the international community to play a constructive role in order to deescalate tensions in the Middle East.
China’s foreign ministry gave a statement saying that Beijing opposed the violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and that the protracted fighting in Gaza was the root cause of turmoil in the Middle East.
China calls on the international community, especially major countries with influence, to play a constructive role and avoid further turmoil in the Middle East https://t.co/Po1naecy8k pic.twitter.com/bBuIOQtvda
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) October 2, 2024
‘This must stop’
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stopped short of naming any country but condemned the ‘broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation’.
I condemn the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation.
This must stop.
We absolutely need a ceasefire.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 1, 2024
Guterres’ remarks, however, angered Israel, who declared him ‘persona non grata’.
In a statement, Foreign Minister Israel Katz said, “anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil.”
The latest escalation in the Middle East has strengthened the longstanding fears that the Israel-Palestine conflict will eventually lead to an all-out war.