JERUSALEM, April 7 (Reuters) – Israel’s defence minister said on Sunday the country was ready to handle any scenario that may develop with its foe Iran as it stayed on alert for a possible retaliatory attack to the killing of Iranian generals on April 1.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant’s office made the statement after he held an “operational situation assessment” with senior military officers.
“Upon completing the assessment, Minister Gallant emphasized that the defense establishment has completed preparations for responses in the event of any scenario that may develop vis-à-vis Iran,” his office said.
Iran has threatened to respond to a suspected Israeli strike in Damascus that killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members, among them a senior commander.
A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Yahya Rahim Safavi, said on Sunday that none of Israel’s embassies were safe anymore and that Tehran viewed confrontation with Israel as a “legitimate and legal right.”
Iran’s semi-official ISNA new agency published a graphic on Sunday that it said showcased nine different types of Iranian missiles it says are capable of hitting Israel.
Israel has not confirmed it was behind the strike on Damascus. Though its leaders have said in more general terms that they are operating against Iran, which backs militant groups Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both of which have been in combat with Israel for the past six months.
The United States is also on high alert and preparing for a possible attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region.
Israel has blamed Iran for being behind the 1994 deadly bombing of a Jewish centre in Argentina’s capital, which killed 85 people and for which Tehran denied any involvement.
(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Ros Russell)
