New York, 15 April 2024

Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday / Sunday midnight in response to the April 1 attack on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Syria, in which at least 13 people were killed, including seven military advisers, Turkish Official News Agency Anadolu reported on Sunday morning.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Sunday for 'maximum restraint' as Israel discussed ways to respond to a retaliatory attack by Iran for an April 1 Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria, saying the world cannot afford more war.

"Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate. Now is the time for maximum restraint," Guterres told an emergency session of the UN Security Council which was convened upon an urgent request by Israel.

"Neither the region nor the world can afford more war," Guterres stressed. The UN chief said the Middle East is on the 'brink' and the people of the region are faced with the real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict.

Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani has defended his country military actions against the Zionist regime, saying the operation was completely in line with the Islamic Republic’s inherent right to self-defense.

Addressing, the UN Security Council’s emergency meeting held at the request of the Israeli regime, Iravani said Iran’s response was necessary and appropriate based on Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and international law. 

Iran’s operation targeted military targets precisely in order to avoid harming civilians.

Anadolu reported on Sunday that Türkiye's Intelligence Chief, Ibrahim Kalin and CIA Director, William Burns recently spoke on the phone, and discussed the escalation between Iran and Israel as well as the situation in Gaza, security sources said.

Burns called Kalin during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr, requesting Türkiye's mediation on Iran's possible attack on Israel, which was executed Saturday night. Kalin also exchanged views on ongoing indirect negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza, where Israeli attacks since last October have killed nearly 34,000 Palestinians.

Kalin later had a meeting with Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas. The two discussed topics including cease-fire negotiations, the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and return of those displaced within the enclave.

Seven key points on Iran’s attack on Israeli regime

IRNA reported that Iran launched its retaliatory attack on Israeli targets late on Saturday in response to the regime’s strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria earlier in April. Now, there are seven points regarding the Iranian military action to punish the regime, which highlight different dimensions of the major operation.

First and foremost, the Iranian attack was the first direct confrontation between the Islamic Republic and the Zionist regime. Effective attacks deep inside the occupied territories, an unfulfilled dream of Islamic countries since 1967. For the first time ever, Iranian aircraft attacked enemies of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the skies over this holy site.

Second point is that Iranian military action was in response to the Israeli aggression on the country’s diplomatic premises in Damascus.

Third point is that the Islamic Republic’s attack on Israeli positions is the second strategic assault on the regime following the Palestinian Al-Aqsa Storm Operation on October 7.

Fourth, Despite the Zionists’ expectation to be able to counter Iran's weapons, numerous images prove that Iranian drones and missiles successfully hit predetermined military targets and that the defense systems of the US and the UK failed. The scale, precision, and strategic planning of the operation caught the Zionists off guard with shock and surprise.

Fifth, the punitive operation from Iran to the occupied territories was carried out encompassing two vast geographical areas in both regions (the launching points and the destinations), clearly demonstrating Iran’s full readiness for any circumstances.

Sixth, the publication of the early announcement by the IRGC concerning the commencement of the hybrid operation against Israel, hours before the reaching of the missiles and drones to the occupied territories, indicates the level of Iran’s preparedness, self-confidence, and assurance of the successful punishment of the regime as well as the Islamic country’s internal consolidation.

Seventh, the usage of hundreds of missiles and drones in the recent as well as the intensiveness of the punitive operation will likely make the authorities of the Zionist regime realize that any reaction or response to Tehran can pave the ground for even more devastating attacks by Iran against Israel.