Foreign Ministry calls for new sanctions on Iran, stresses Israel’s right to self-defense
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
The Foreign Ministry issues a statement insisting that Israel has the right to self-defense following Iran’s massive aerial assault on Israel Saturday night, and says that “Iran must pay a price for its aggression.”
Jerusalem says that the “initial price” must be the immediate recognition of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps — the massive paramilitary force that answers to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — as a terror organization, as well as new sanctions against Iran, especially those targeting Tehran’s ballistic missile program
“Last night, a large-scale and unprecedented attack — consisting of hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles — was launched by Iran against the State of Israel,” the Foreign Ministry says.
“This attack proves what Israel has been saying for years: Iran is the one behind the terrorist attacks in the region, and is also the greatest threat to regional stability and world order.”
The statement notes that Iran-backed militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, all “supplemented” the Iranian attack with their own aerial assaults on Israel.
“Just like any other country, Israel has the right to defend itself in the face of Iran’s massive attack. Israel successfully defended itself against Iran’s aggression and will continue to do so in the future,” the Foreign Ministry says.