Iran threatens painful consequences as Netanyahu eyes military action

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is highly likely to soon authorise an attack on Iranian military sites in retaliation for a missile strike on Israel earlier this month.

Thus, Netanyahu has reignited conflict in the Gaza Strip with a renewed bombing campaign and heightened tensions further by initiating a ground invasion in Lebanon. This includes airstrikes in Beirut aimed at dismantling Hezbollah forces, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Iran in turn, has issued a stern warning to Israel, indicating that it will face a "painful" response should attacks on Iranian targets occur. This comes amid concerns that American THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defence systems would be ineffective in preventing such retaliation.

Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), further asserted, “If you attack any of our targets, whether in the region or in Iran, we will again hit you painfully,” emphasising that Iran is prepared to retaliate against Israel.

He described the recent missile attack on Israel as merely a warning and noted it was executed with minimal force.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had hoped that the ongoing violence in the Middle East would remain a background issue during the final stretch of the presidential campaign.

This rapid escalation has left the Biden administration in a difficult position, initially calling for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon only to reverse that stance nine days later, now openly supporting Israel's ground offensive.

The US's shifting position has caused confusion and frustration among European and Arab allies, many of whom are urging Washington to restrain its closest Middle Eastern ally. Yet, administration officials are wary of a public confrontation with Israel, particularly given the political sensitivities in the lead-up to the election.

By Aghakazim Guliyev