Iran’s attack against Israel on Saturday night, when it fired hundreds of drones, 99% of which were intercepted and which caused no significant damages, crossed however a line – Iran had never before, in the decades of antagonism between the two states, launched an attack inside Israel.
The response had been expected for a number of days, after seven Iranian elite military were killed in Syria on 1st April in a strike against the Iranian consulate in Damascus attributed to Israel. It is not clear why Israel might have carried out the strike in Syria, commentators say, but Iran was forced to respond to save face internationally and demonstrate its power in the region. The tactic chosen by Tehran, and which is similar to that used by Russia in Ukraine, was to try to overwhelm the Israeli defence system by firing a large number of projectiles. Except the Israeli defence system is much more effective and was also aided by allied American and British fighter jets.
Tehran says the matter is now concluded. What will happen next depends on whether Israel itself chooses to retaliate or not. In a first reaction, the country’s war cabinet, which met during the night at an underground bunker at the headquarters in Tel Aviv, empowered prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, defence minister Yoav Galant and minister Benny Gantz to prepare the reaction to Iran’s attack.
“Neither the region, nor the world can afford more war”, said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Sunday, calling for “maximum restraint” at a Security Council meeting that assembled after the attack. Leaders from around the world condemned Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel. US president Joe Biden reiterated his country’s unflinching support for Israel and Russia called on both sides to show restraint. With the stated aim to contribute to defusing the situation and consolidate security in the region, the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers, to take place on Tuesday and discuss the attack.
In Bucharest, president Klaus Iohannis posted that Romania condemned Iran’s attack against Israel in the strongest terms. “We stand in full solidarity with the Israeli people in these difficult moments. We call for avoiding further regional escalation”, he said, a sentiment shared by prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, who also emphasised Romania’s solidarity with Israel: “We firmly condemn this attack and support Israel’s right to ensure the security of its citizens”. Last but not least, the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Daniel, on Sunday conveyed a message to the Patriarch of Jerusalem voicing his concern about the escalation of the military conflict.