Israel: We Are Not Afraid of an Iranian Response After the Damascus Attack

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Israel is not afraid of an Iranian response to the attack on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus. In an interview with the Italian newspaper "La Repubblica," the minister stated, "Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack on Damascus, but Iran has said it will respond to us." He added, "This does not scare us. We do not want war with Iran, but if they attack us directly, we will respond." According to Katz, Israel has so far responded to missile launches by "Hezbollah" and the "Houthis" in Yemen "in a limited way." He continued, "However, if rockets, for example, begin to fly from Lebanon towards Tel Aviv in response to the Damascus attack, Israel will send planes and soldiers. The problem is that the West does not take the threat of Iran and radical Islam seriously." In a related context, the Israeli Foreign Minister stated, "We do not want to be in Gaza. Once Hamas is defeated, the international community will bear responsibility in the sector."