Blinken Spoke With Jordanian, Saudi, Egyptian, Turkish Counterparts

His comments come after the successful joint defense with US, UK and Jordanian air forces against a drone and missile assault by Iran overnight on April 13-14.

In a statement released on Sunday, Gallant detailed how the attack had been fought off with the help of the United States and other allied nations.

According to him, the aggression is a critical juncture for Israel to consider more collective security measures.

"We have an opportunity to establish a strategic alliance against this grave threat by Iran which is threatening to mount nuclear explosives on these missiles, which could be an extremely grave threat," he stated.

Earlier, Gallant outlined the scale of the attack on Israel, noting that "The State of Israel was attacked with hundreds of missiles and [unmanned aerial vehicles], and the [Israel Defense Forces] thwarted this attack in an impressive manner."

The minister stressed the importance of being prepared for any possible future scenarios.

Gallant's words came in a broader response from the Israel war cabinet, comprising himself, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Benny Gantz, which is tasked with deciding Israel's tactical response to the Iranian threat.

Speaking to the nation on Saturday night, Netanyahu highlighted Israel's preparedness to face Iran in direct combat and noted that they were ready for “any scenario, defensively and offensively.”

"Whoever harms us, we will harm them. We will defend ourselves against any threat and will do so level-headedly and with determination," he noted.

Amir Saeid Iravani, the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, defended the attack on Israel as a response to the airstrike on its Damascus consulate on April 1.

He reiterated that Tehran would use its right to respond proportionately if the US initiates military operations against Iran.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said the attack showed the true nature of the Islamic Republic to the world, urging international action “to stop Iran.”

“As Iran’s mask has fallen, the world’s complacency must also fall.”

"We were attacked last night from four corners of the Middle East with proxies shooting at us, firing missiles and ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles."

"This is like a real war. I mean, this is a declaration of war," he said, before adding that Israel would exercise restraint.

As tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Iran, the situation remains precarious, with the specter of conflict looming large.

In a bold statement underscoring the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari admonished Iran's regime for disseminating falsehoods and squandering precious resources.

Speaking in an interview with Iran International, Hagari urged the Iranian government to cease its propagation of lies and fabricated videos aimed at the Iranian populace.

Hagari minced no words as he accused the Iranian regime of wasting both money and resources, emphasizing that the regime's futile endeavors rendered hundreds of drones and missiles futile, ultimately consigning them to the metaphorical "garbage" heap.

Hagari's message wasn't confined solely to reproach; he extended a hand of solidarity and support to the Iranian people, affirming a shared commonality between them and the citizens of Israel. He emphasized that the true enemy of the Iranian people lay not with Israel but with their own oppressive regime.

"The people of Iran has a common enemy with Israel. It is the regime of Iran. You deserve better. You deserve freedom. Someone will hear your voice and we hear you in Israel. We hear you," Hagari added.

Hagari reaffirmed Israel's unwavering resolve to defend its sovereignty, emphasizing the IDF's preparedness to utilize its formidable capabilities.

Moreover, earlier today, revelations emerged that Israel's intended retaliatory strike was thwarted by the United States at the eleventh hour. According to an Israeli source cited by Iran International:

"The US prevented Israel from launching the attack it had planned in response to the Iranian strike 'at the last minute' on Saturday night."

In addition to Iran’s attack on Israel, the representative of the Switzerland, Pascale Baeriswyl, condemned Iran’s seizure of a cargo ship “affiliated with” Israel near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.

IRGC's Navy Special Force took control of the Portuguese-flagged vessel after the heliborne Iranian forces landed on its deck. The incident took place 50 nautical miles (92 km) northeast of the Fujairah, UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced.

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