As the region prepares for possible Israeli reprisals following Iran’s attack over the weekend, the president of Iran has issued a warning, stating that the “tiniest invasion” by Israel will result in a “massive and harsh” response.
Speaking on Wednesday, President Ebrahim Raisi addressed the annual army parade, which was previously held on a highway in the southern suburbs of Tehran but is now held at a barracks north of the capital. Its relocation was not explained by Iranian authorities, and state television did not air it live as it has in the past.
In retaliation for an alleged Israeli raid on Iran’s embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that left 12 people dead, including two Iranian generals, Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones against Israel over the weekend.
Israel, assisted by the United States, the United Kingdom, neighboring Jordan, and other nations, successfully intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones.
Since the beginning of the most recent Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, tensions in the area have grown. On that day, two militant groups supported by Iran, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, launched a cross-border attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israeli citizens and the kidnapping of 250 more. In response, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza that, according to local health professionals, has killed over 33,800 people and left huge amounts of destruction in its wake.
(AP)
