Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Sunday, refrained from pledging immediate retaliation to Israel’s airstrike last week. However, he stressed that the attack against the Islamic nation should not be “exaggerated or downplayed”, reported BBC. In another development to Israel’s war against Hamas, key mediator Egypt has proposed a two-day ceasefire in Gaza for the release of four hostages.
Top Updates on Iran–Israel tensions, war in Gaza
As Israel’s war in Gaza and airstrikes in Iran continue to escalate Middle East tensions, here are the top ten developments that have happened so far.
-Iran on Saturday condemned Israel’s strikes and termed them “acts of aggression” and a “blatant violation of international law,” reported Reuters.
-The Iranian Foreign Ministry, in a statement, condemned the attack “in the strongest terms,” claiming the retaliatory strikes were a “blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter,” particularly the principle prohibiting the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of countries.
-Amid fears of further escalation of the Middle East Crisis after, Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has given a measured response to Israeli air strikes. He also said the attack should not be “exaggerated or downplayed” while refraining from pledging immediate retaliation.
-The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Monday at Iran’s request. Switzerland, which holds the council’s rotating presidency, said Russia, China and Algeria, the council’s Arab representative, supported the request.
-The weekend airstrike by Israel against Iran reportedly targeted air defence systems which protected crucial oil and gas facilities.
-According to a report by ‘The Guardian’, Israel used precision air and drone strikes to target air defence systems. The airstrike also targeted military sites linked to Tehran’s nuclear programme and ballistic missile production.
-Israel’s operation in Gaza may see another truce as Egypt proposed a two-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas during which four hostages held in Gaza would be freed. There was no immediate response from Israel or Hamas as the latest talks were expected in Qatar, another key mediator, reported AP.
-The talks of a longer, phased cease-fire have failed multiple times because of Hamas’s precondition of the removal of Israeli forces from Gaza. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said they will remain until destroying Hamas. Notably, the last cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war took place nearly a year ago.
-The latest airstrikes in Gaza took the lives of at least 33 people, most of them children and women, reported AP on Sunday, citing Palestinian officials.
-Reacting to the airstrike, the U.N. secretary-general called the plight of Palestinians there “unbearable.” Israel said the intention behind the attack was to target militants.