Tel Aviv's Reaction to Iran's Missiles: Continued Hostile Policy Against Israel

Israel reacted to the launch of ballistic missiles by Iran, which bore the inscription in Hebrew "Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired several of its ballistic missiles during the "Valayat Power" exercise from Eastern Alborz towards the Makran coast in the Sea of Oman on the 18th and 19th of Esfand. The body of these missiles featured a quote from Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, stating that Israel "must be wiped off the face of the earth." Iran emphasized that this missile test was successful. According to Israeli media, the country's Minister of Security said on Thursday, Esfand 20, that this Iranian action indicates the continuation of the Islamic Republic's hostile policy against Israel. General Moshe Ya'alon added that "Western countries have been deceived by the sweet words of the Iranian government while Iran continues to support terrorism and equip terrorists." The Israeli Foreign Ministry also stated a day earlier, on Esfand 19, that Iran's missile test is a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and calls into question the nuclear agreement with Iran. Resolution 2231 was issued last summer to endorse the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, officially canceling six previous Security Council resolutions regarding Tehran's nuclear activities. The Israeli Foreign Ministry's statement says that Resolution 2231 prohibits Iran from launching missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, while Iran "has precisely tested these types of missiles." The Israeli Foreign Ministry states that Iran has challenged the world powers with this action, and if a decisive response is not given, Iran's provocations will continue. The launch of Iranian missiles with the Hebrew phrase "Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth" comes just two months after the implementation of the JCPOA, the final nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. Israel has been the staunchest opponent of the Iran nuclear deal and continues to call it a "great mistake." Fars News Agency reported on Esfand 19, quoting Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, stating that "the range of the launched missiles was 2,000 kilometers, aimed at confronting the Zionists from a distance." Fars also noted that "this missile exercise had a more anti-Zionist tone, and the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force emphasized that Israel's existence would end even before the IRGC's missiles were fired in the event of war." According to some observers and analysts, while Hassan Rouhani's government is particularly seeking calm to strengthen relations with the international community after the recent elections, the testing of new missiles with Hebrew inscriptions may be a deliberate act by the powerful faction opposed to the Islamic Republic's military support in provoking Israel. In this context, the senior U.S. congressional representative reacted to the IRGC's missile tests, and the UN Secretary-General called on Iran to refrain from escalating tensions in the region. Zarif stated: "Our missiles have led world powers to negotiate with Iran."