Since last October, the situation in Gaza has been painfully clear to the global community. Israel's actions have shockingly disregarded international conventions and resolutions aimed at peace. The sad thing is that during this period, at least 34,000 Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israeli attacks on Gaza, while more than 76,000 have been injured. Despite calls for restraint from various allies, including the US, Israel has persisted in its actions. The recent abstention from voting against the ceasefire in Gaza at the UN Security Council signals an important shift towards ending this largely one-sided conflict.
Amidst this tense environment, Israel further increased the tension by attacking the Iranian Consulate in Syria on April 1. This provocative action took place at a time when the Muslim community was fasting and preparing for the Eid festival. The attack resulted in the deaths of two Iranian generals, General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and General Mohammad Hadi Hazriyahimi, as well as five other Iranian military officers, alleged Hezbollah member Hussein Youssef, and two Syrians. Additionally, two Syrian police officers guarding the consulate were injured. By launching this attack, Israel not only violated Articles 51 and 2(4) of the UN Charter, but also failed to provide any reasonable justification for its actions. Experts speculated that the impact of this aggression could lead to a response from Iran, potentially increasing tensions in the region.
On April 13, Iran unexpectedly launched an attack on Israel, the first in the history of hostility between these two countries. The Israeli military reported that more than 300 drones and missiles were launched toward Israel. He claimed that his rescue team, with the support of the US, Britain, France and other countries, successfully intercepted almost all of them, preventing them from reaching their intended target. Fortunately, no deaths were reported, and Israel said damage was minimal. This is the first direct attack by Iran on Israel after several proxy attacks and conflicts.
Experts say there is a lack of evidence that Iran supports non-state armed groups targeting Israel and that Iran has never directly attacked Israel before. This raises questions about Israel's earlier attack on Iran's consulate, which not only violated international conventions but also disregarded Syria's sovereignty. However, that incident occurred on April 1 and was considered an aborted operation. The attack by Iran on April 13 appears to be less about defense and more about retaliation or a show of force. This marks a shift from a defensive posture to a more assertive stance.
