Kataib Hezbollah, the most powerful of the armed factions, said Israel and the US would have to pay a price for Israel’s strikes on Iran last week
From: Arab News November 1, 2024 Iraq attempts to avoid regional fight as semiautonomous militias fire at Israel
Nervously watching Israel’s destructive campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon, Iraq is working to avoid being drawn into the growing regional conflict as Iran-backed armed groups launch attacks on Israel from Iraqi soil, sources familiar with the matter say.
In recent weeks, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose network of pro-Iran armed groups, has claimed launching several drones targeting Israel in support of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
From: Al Jazeera October 31, 2024 Iran warns of ‘unimaginable’ response to Israel attack
Iran promised a “harsh and regretful” response to the deadly Israeli attack on Iranian military facilities.
“The recent action of the Zionist regime in attacking parts of our country was a desperate move and the Islamic Republic of Iran will give it a harsh and regretful response,” Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, a senior aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.
He praised Iran’s air defence performance in “preventing the entry of the Zionist regime fighters into the territory” and said damage from the strikes was “minimal”.
Also on Thursday, General Hossein Salami, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned: of an “unimaginable” response to Israel. “Israel has reached the stage of collapse and these days it acts blindly and without abiding to any rules it commits every crime,” said Salami.
1. Is it deadly or “minimal”? 2. Iran abides by the rules?
Netanyahu: Israel can strike any location in Iran if necessary. Netanyahu, in a speech to new military officers, says: "Israel has unprecedented freedom of action after its recent air strikes against Iran"
“Israel today has more freedom of action in Iran than ever. We can reach any place in Iran as necessary,” Netanyahu said. “The supreme goal, I gave to the Israeli [military] and the security branches is to prevent Iran from achieving a nuclear weapon.”