Will decide on our own, declares Netanyahu in response to the West’s plea for moderation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would decide for itself how to protect itself, even as Western nations urged Israel to exercise caution in retaliating to a barrage of Iranian assaults.

After decades of combat via proxy, the United States, the European Union, and the G7 group of industrialized countries all announced intentions to explore tightening sanctions on Iran. This move is believed to be intended to appease Israel and convince it to limit its reprisal for the first-ever direct Iranian attacks.

In a concerted effort to prevent hostilities between Israel and Iran from intensifying into a regional conflagration stoked by the Gaza war, Netanyahu met with the foreign ministers of Germany and Britain.

David Cameron and Annalena Baerbock were praised for their support by Netanyahu’s office, along with the statement, “I want to make it clear – we will make our own decisions, and the State of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself.” Cameron had earlier said that it was now clear that Israel intended to respond for the drone and missile attacks carried out by Iran on Saturday, which Tehran had initiated in retaliation for what it believed to be an Israeli bombing that had killed military personnel at its embassy in Syria.

“No one would benefit from an escalation,” according to Baerbock; not the security of Israel, not the numerous hostages held by Hamas, not the people suffering in Gaza, not the many Iranians suffering under the regime, and not the third countries in the region that just want to live in peace.

Diplomats are trying to find a solution to prevent direct conflict between Israel and Iran after more than six months of fighting in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, which is supported by Iran and has experienced flare-ups across the Middle East. Israel and its allies fired down the majority of the Iranian missiles and drones that were launched on Saturday, preventing any casualties.

Yet Israel claims that in order to maintain the legitimacy of its deterrents, it must strike back. Iran claims that the issue is resolved, but if Israel takes more action, it will strike back. Washington claims that it will soon be enacting fresh sanctions against Iran related to its drone and missile programs, and it anticipates that its allies will do the same. Sanctions will be a topic of discussion at the next summit of EU leaders in Brussels and at the G7 meeting in Italy.

Israel has unleashed a huge air and military assault within Gaza, resulting in the verified deaths of about 34,000 Palestinians. – News reports

Israel is preparing to move, alerts Cameron

Israel “is making a decision to act” in response to Iran’s missile and drone assault over the weekend, according to British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who is in Israel as of Wednesday.
“In a way that is smart as well as tough and also does as little as possible to escalate this conflict,” was how he hoped they would act. Following his meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, he said