Abolfazl Amoei, the spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, said: “We are prepared to use weapons we haven’t used previously, and we have strategies for every possible scenario. The Zionists should be careful.”
On social media, Madhi Mohammadi, an adviser to the speaker of the Iranian parliament, posted: “In addition to its missile programme, Iran also has a nuclear programme.”
Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran, said in a call on Monday with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani: “We firmly declare that the slightest action against Iran’s interests will definitely be met with a severe, extensive and painful response.”
Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday summoned the Israeli war cabinet for the second time in less than 24 hours, amid pressure from Joe Biden, the US president, and European allies to show restraint.
The Israeli prime minister is also under pressure from hardliners in his own Likud party and hard-Right ministers to “go berserk”, despite fears of the Israel-Hamas war escalating into a regional conflict.
“This launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles and drones into Israeli territory will be met with a response,” Herzi Halevi, the Israeli military’s chief of staff, said after most of the drones and missiles dispatched in n Iran’s first ever direct attack on Israel were shut down.
“If this government gives in to Biden’s demands, and doesn’t use this golden opportunity to attack Iran and eliminate the Iranian threat – as far as I’m concerned, this government no longer deserves confidence,” said Tally Gotliv, a Likud MP.
“Every Israeli will rue for years every passing minute it doesn’t attack Iran […] If the government is led by cowards, it will be guilty of the inferno, God forbid, afflicted on Israel in the future.”
Yoav Gallant, the defence minister, has urged a more cautious approach. Benny Gantz, the most popular politician in the country and the main opposition to Mr Netanyahu, has also called for restraint.
