Israel demands sanctions on Iran's missile project after attack -Also Israel Vows Response to Iran Attack

 Israel is calling for sanctions to be imposed on Iran's missile project after it launched an unprecedented attack on its territory.

1. A wave of missiles and drones were fired from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen on Saturday, with most being downed by Israel and its allies.
2. Israel's war cabinet has met but not said what it plans to do - the military chief of staff has said the attack will not go unanswered.
3. Tehran says the attack was retaliation for the presumed Israeli air strike on its consulate in Syria on 1 April, in which 13 people were killed
4. Since the Israel-Gaza war erupted six months ago, Israel has ramped up its targeting of Iran over its funding and arming of Hamas
5. Also in Gaza, Israeli forces began a military operation in Beit Hanoun, a town in the north east of the strip. 
6. Meanwhile Iran vows 'severe' response to action against its interests
   

   ReutersCopyright: Reuters

   Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said his country would react to the slightest action against Iran's interests with a "severe, extensive and painful response".

   In a phone call last night with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Raisi reiterated that Iran was acting in "self-defence", adding that it had targeted Israeli bases it said were used to carry out a deadly strike on its consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus.

   Israel's military chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, said on Monday that Iran's attacks over the weekend "will be met with a response".

7. Israel urges new sanctions on Iran's missile programme

   

   Gordon Corera

   Security correspondent

   As everyone waits to see how Israel responds militarily to Iran, it is also acting diplomatically.

   Israel looks less isolated as attention has moved away from Gaza and will be hoping to capitalise on this to place international pressure on Iran.

   Israel’s foreign minister said he had written to 32 countries calling for further sanctions on Iran. This includes, he said, sanctions on Iran’s missile programme.

   A series of UN sanctions on Iran’s missile programme expired last October because they had been linked to a wider deal on Iran’s Nuclear Programme. Countries including the US, UK and EU have already maintained sanctions though and added new ones.

   Israel’s Foreign Minister also called for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be declared a terrorist organisation. The US has already done so but the UK has not.

   The debate about whether to go down this path has been difficult and divisive within government. Some favour a ban and others oppose it because they think that the IRGC is part of the state rather than a terrorist organisation, and a ban would lead Iran to close down channels of communication between the two countries.

8. Israeli army continues to operate in Gaza

   Despite the ongoing tensions between Iran and Israeli, the Israeli army is continuing its operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. 

   

   The Israeli forces began a military operation in the town of Beit Hanoun, north east of the Gaza Strip, at dawn today, as dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles entered from the eastern and northern sides and surrounded three schools housing thousands of displaced people.

   The raid began with intense air strikes and artillery shelling, followed by the entry of two squadrons of armoured vehicles and tanks.

   Mohamed Muhanna, a local activist journalist, tells the BBC: "The Israeli troops advanced in Beit Hanoun and surrounded the schools with heavy fire cover, fire belts, and firing from Quadcopter drones at the school, which houses hundreds of displaced people."

   In central Gaza, the IDF says aircraft and infantry have been in action against what they call Hamas compounds in the central Gaza strip.

9. Israel demands dozens of countries impose Iran sanctions

   Israel's foreign minister says he is leading "a diplomatic offensive against Iran", as the government considers a military response to the missile and drone attack against it early on Sunday. 

   

   
   

   The foreign minister, Israel Katz, has written to dozens of countries calling for sanctions to be imposed on Iran's missile programme.

   “This morning I sent letters to 32 countries and spoke with dozens of foreign ministers and leading figures in the world demanding that sanctions be imposed on the Iranian missile project," Katz posted on X.

   He also called for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be declared a terrorist organisation, "as a way to curb and weaken Iran".

   He adds: “Iran must be stopped now – before it is too late”.

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