Israel demands sanctions on Iranian missile project | BBC News

and we begin with developments in the Middle East where Israel appears to be trying to rally international support following the Iranian airstrikes, but so far at least has not taken any direct military action in response. Instead, Israel is calling for more

sanctions

against Iran, which in turn has warned Israel not to try to retaliate following those drone and

missile

attacks that Iran says were a response to an Israeli attack on its diplomatic mission in Syria. Chief International Correspondent Lee Duet has been sending us updates from Jerusalem. Israel says it is now launching a diplomatic offensive. The Israeli Foreign Minister has written, he says, to 32 countries around the world urging them to impose even more

sanctions

against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted this on Major, leftist general Hery Halvi. He said Israel would have to respond. He made the comments while visiting Team Neva air base in southern Israel, where some of Iran's

missile

s actually hit in the early hours of Sunday morning, although Israel says there was limited damage. Israel says only a handful of missiles actually penetrated the 350 Cru and suicide drones and ballistic missiles that were fired by Iran. Iran says its retaliatory attack was in response to Israel's attack on its diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on April 1. Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdan reiterated that message in a telephone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Gues, saying Iran acted in self-defense.

He is also calling for restraint saying he doesn't want this to turn into a broader war. We're going to look at the danger right now, but just to remind you that this tension is taking place in the midst of the current war between Israel and Gaza. It is day 193 of the war and today there are reports that there is fighting in the Gaza Strip and more particularly in Bet Hanon in the northeast, there are also reports that more aid is now arriving in Gaza from the north. We're getting reports from the ground and that's it. What Israel is saying is that the

news

has been met with relief for many weeks and agencies have been warning that more than half of Gaza's population faces acute famine.

Well, now let's cross over to Qatar's capital, Doha, to join Miranda Kamrava, who is the director of the Iranian studies unit at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies welcome to BBC News. Thank you. It's good to be here, of course you're following every twist and turn of this escalating crisis between Israel and Iran. How would you describe this particular one? At that time, well, the Israelis crossed a red line by attacking Iran's diplomatic compound in Damascus and then the Iranians crossed another red line by attacking Israeli soil, so we are in a very precarious, in fact dangerous, moment in the that we are likely to see an Israeli retaliation attack for Iran's retaliation attack and therefore the vicious cycle is likely to continue.

Unfortunately, this moment seems to underscore dangerous differences in perception. Iran says this was a very limited and very calibrated attack that caused limited and occasional damage to Israel. Of course, it was a reckless attack that violated their security and there must be retaliation and that is what is going to fuel this conflict, isn't it at all? And in fact, I think we do see that the Iranians held back. to retaliate in some way for the attack on their embassy compound and as far as they are concerned deterrence has been restored and now they are saying that if Israel attacks Iran again or Iranian interests or personnel there will be more of this guy. of retaliatory attack, of course, Netanyahu's political situation within Israel does not allow for restraint and we have seen Netanyahu have a tendency to overreact.

He is also under pressure from the right flank of his own cabinet and unfortunately, as you mentioned, we are at a precarious and very dangerous time, and the speculation now seems to be that, although there are disagreements within the War cabinet and we are hearing that the cabinet could meet again today, some of the U's former military generals say we should retaliate now. others say let's first build our international and regional Coalition because they are emphasizing that this Coalition, the support that Israel is receiving right now is very important and also crucial is the support that the United States will give to Israel both diplomatically and uh. militarily and we have heard very loud and clear messages coming from Washington, namely that the United States would not assist Israel in an attack on Iranian soil, so I think that has also given Israeli military commanders a little pause.

I want to do it alone, knowing that Iran has this so-called axis of resistance that it can activate when it feels very threatened. Marin Comad. Thank you so much. It's always good to hear your perspective. Without a doubt, we will hear from you again. The crisis continues to develop and as I mentioned during that discussion that we are hearing reports that the war cabinet will meet again today, this will be their third meeting since that unprecedented attack in the early hours of Sunday morning, which is absolutely clear is that Israel has decided that it will respond, but will it retaliate by attacking Iran directly?

This would also be unprecedented after decades of a shadow war and covert operations, will it attack some of Iran's proxies and Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, or even Yemen, or will they? wait and build a coalition, these are questions that matter and are important for future stability in this region in the midst of what is already a very, very volatile time, as our world affairs correspondent at least sat there with the last lines from the Middle East