Israel’s Response to Iran’s Missile Barrage: Deadly, Precise, and Surprising

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has promised that Israel’s retaliation against Iran for last week’s missile barrage will be a devastating and precise attack, stating that “those who try to harm the State of Israel will pay a price.” The statement has sparked concerns about the escalation of tensions in the region.

Meanwhile, the United States has urged Israel to avoid conducting military operations in Lebanon, echoing concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller expressed worry about the escalating conflict, saying, “I’m making very clear that there should be no kind of military action in Lebanon that looks anything like Gaza and leaves a result anything like Gaza.”

Miller’s comments came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video, appealing to the people of Lebanon to free their country from Hezbollah, warning that Lebanon could fall into a prolonged war like Gaza. Hezbollah began low-intensity strikes on Israeli troops after Palestinian ally Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, triggering war in Gaza.

The situation in Gaza has rapidly deteriorated, with Israel intensifying shelling and closing roads, preventing aid delivery to the war-ravaged territory. Miller expressed the United States’ deep concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, particularly in the north, where the conflict has had a devastating impact on civilians.

“We have been making clear to the government of Israel that they have an obligation under international humanitarian law to allow food and water and other needed humanitarian assistance to make it into all parts of Gaza,” Miller said. He added that the United States expects Israel to comply with these obligations and warned against “conducting operations in Gaza in perpetuity.”