Israel eases security measures as Iran hints at avoiding retaliation – Firstpost

Iran’s military issued a carefully worded statement Saturday evening suggesting a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon trumps any retaliation against Israel. While saying it had the right to retaliate, the statement suggested Tehran may be trying to find a way to prevent further escalation after Israel’s attack early Saturday.

The Israeli military late Saturday eased some security restrictions for residents of areas in northern Israel, a possible indication that it does not expect an immediate large-scale attack from Iran or its allies in the region.

The decision followed a “situational assessment,” a statement said, which made no mention of Israel’s bombing of military sites in Iran in the early hours of Saturday, carried out in retaliation for an Iranian attack on Israel this month.

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed Saturday’s attacks on military targets in Iran but said there remained a “historic obligation” to eliminate the threat from Tehran.

In the early hours of Saturday, Israeli warplanes struck several military and missile production facilities across Iran.

“The attack on Iran is important as an opening blow to damage Iran’s strategic assets,” Ben Gvir wrote on X, adding: “We have a historic obligation to remove the Iranian threat to destroy Israel.”

The Israeli strikes were in retaliation for an attack by Iran on October 1, in which about 200 rockets were fired at Israel, although most were intercepted by the country’s air defenses.

After Saturday’s attacks, Israeli President Isaac Herzog emphasized the role of the United States, calling Israel’s staunchest supporter a “true ally.”

“I would especially like to thank our great friend the US for being a true ally, and for the open and covert cooperation,” he said in a statement, without elaborating.

A US defense official said there was “no US involvement” in the Israeli strikes, although Washington confirmed it had been told this in advance.

Leading opposition figure Benny Gantz, a former member of the war cabinet, also praised Saturday’s pre-dawn operation.

“It marks a new phase in our war against the Iranian regime, inflicting significant damage in response to their failed attempts to harm Israel, while also significantly paving the way for future operations,” Gantz said in a statement. declaration.

He stressed that the attacks are “nothing more than a fraction of the damage that Israel can inflict on the regime should it choose to continue its aggression.”

In Saturday’s attack on Iran, Israel did not target its most sensitive oil and nuclear facilities and did not seek immediate retaliation from Tehran.

With input from authorities.