Netanyahu: Iran is Aggressing by Sending Drones and Missiles to Israel and Saudi Arabia

Continuing the verbal conflict between senior officials of Israel and Iran regarding the military presence of the Islamic Republic in Syria, Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday accused Iran of aggression by sending drones and missiles to Israel and Saudi Arabia. The remarks of the Israeli Prime Minister were a reaction to comments made by Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, who in an interview with CBS News on Sunday morning stated that Israel's airstrikes in Syria systematically undermine international law and violate Syria's national sovereignty. Mr. Zarif, who is in New York, said: "I do not believe we are heading towards a regional war," but Israel is "escalating tensions by violating the airspace and sovereignty of Syria... and if it continues to violate the sovereignty of other lands, there will be consequences for them..." Hours after his statements were published, the Israeli Prime Minister said that Mohammad Javad Zarif is "the foreign minister of the same country that sends explosive-laden drones to Israel and missiles to Saudi Arabia." According to Israeli media, Mr. Netanyahu added in a special meeting of the General Staff of the Army on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the country's independence that the Iranian foreign minister speaks softly in interviews with Western media, but there is a huge contradiction between this "soft language and the actions of the Revolutionary Guards, which emphasize their determination to destroy Israel." According to Ynet, the Israeli Prime Minister added that "the Revolutionary Guards are a military force against Israel with the explicit goal of destroying the state of Israel, and therefore, Zarif's soft words do not impress me." He stated: "I trust this gathering and the Israeli defense army that is prepared for any option and any scenario." Mr. Netanyahu also said on Friday during a special government meeting on the occasion of Israel's 70th independence that his country's army is ready and Iran will pay a heavy price. Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's Defense Minister, who accompanied the Prime Minister at the special General Staff meeting in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening, also said in a radio interview on Sunday morning that "all of Iran's military infrastructure in Syria has been created to target Israel." In response to the remarks made on Friday by Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards, he said, "Those who threaten Israel will pay the price." According to Iranian media, Hossein Salami had stated in remarks before Friday prayers in Tehran that in Iran, "fingers are on the trigger and missiles are ready to fire" and that Israel is "very vulnerable and lacks depth and backing" and that Israelis "live in the mouth of the dragon... and have nowhere to fall but into the sea." Israel has stated that on February 10 last year, Iran sent a combat drone into its airspace via Syrian airspace, with a "suicidal mission" against a military target in Israel, marking Iran's direct entry into confrontation with Israel for the first time. The drone had taken off from the T-4 airbase in Homs province, which Israel destroyed a minute and a half after it breached its airspace, and on the same day, it conducted heavy attacks against "Iranian and Syrian targets" in Syria. However, following an attack by unidentified fighters on April 9 on the T-4 base, which killed at least seven Iranian military personnel, and Russia attributed this attack to Israel, several Iranian officials stated that "this crime will definitely not go unanswered"; the Secretary-General of Hezbollah Lebanon and his deputy, who are Iran's most important regional allies, expressed confidence that Iran's retaliatory response would be "certain." The escalation of verbal threats between Israeli and Iranian leaders has also coincided with the approaching deadline for Donald Trump's decision regarding the JCPOA. In recent weeks, the Israeli Prime Minister has told European powers that without changing the overall provisions of the JCPOA, they should expect the United States to withdraw from this "disastrous" agreement. Mohammad Javad Zarif said on CBS on Sunday that Iran "has many options that will not be pleasant for the U.S.... and one of the options could be to resume nuclear activities at a faster pace..." Avigdor Lieberman on Sunday regarding the possibility of a complete resumption of Iran's nuclear program stated that in this case, "all options" would be back on the table.