Israel's Foreign Minister Sends Letter to 32 Countries: Sanction Iran's Missile Program

Israel Katz, the Foreign Minister of Israel, in a letter to 32 countries around the world, urged them to impose sanctions on the missile program of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization following Tehran's attack on Israel over the weekend. Katz stated in a post on social media platform X that he is 'leading a political attack against Iran.' He wrote that sanctioning the missile program and moving to declare the IRGC as a 'terrorist group' would help 'limit and weaken Iran' and added that this issue 'must be stopped now before it is too late.' Tensions between the Islamic Republic and Israel have recently escalated and are expected to continue in the coming hours and days. A source told NBC that after a cabinet war meeting on Monday, Israel's response to Iran's retaliatory attack may be 'imminent.' Prior to that, an unverified report from Channel 12 in Israel claimed that the Israeli war cabinet had decided to respond 'clearly and forcefully' against Iran, sending the message that Israel 'will not allow an attack of this magnitude against itself to go unanswered.' In this context, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart on Monday, emphasizing the strategic goal of regional stability. The U.S. Department of Defense stated that Austin and Yoav Gallant, the Israeli Defense Minister, discussed the implications of Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend. The U.S. Secretary of State also emphasized America's 'sustained' support for Israel's defense. The Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army stated, 'Iran will face the consequences of its actions.' The likelihood and nature of Israel's retaliatory attack against the Islamic Republic from the perspective of Ben Sabti has been discussed. Israel has informed Arab countries that its response to Iran's attack will not endanger them. NBC reported that Israel's response to the Islamic Republic's attack is likely 'imminent.' China stated that the Iranian government can 'manage the situation' and prevent further tensions.