New Delhi: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today said that his country has been preparing for a direct attack by Iran for years and will “harm” anyone who harms them. Iran last night. Iran late on Saturday launched a barrage of explosive drones and missiles directly targeting Israeli territory, in response to the bombing of Iran’s embassy in Syria’s capital Damascus earlier this month. “In recent years, and especially in recent weeks, Israel has been preparing for a direct attack by Iran. Our defensive systems are deployed; we are ready for any scenario, both defensively and offensively. The State of Israel is strong. The IDF is strong. The public is strong,” said Mr Netanyahu. Alongside Iran’s direct attack, its allies and proxies conducted coordinated assaults on Israeli positions, with sirens blaring in numerous areas and explosions heard above Jerusalem early Sunday. Iran had previously issued threats of retaliation against Israel following an April 1 airstrike on its consulate in Damascus, where seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel, including two generals, were killed. The United States had repeatedly cautioned about imminent reprisals
