Bennett Warns Israel Can ‘Act Alone’ Against Iran Over Ship Attack

 

Iran denies that it was responsible for the attack on an Israeli-linked ship that killed two

by Dave DeCamp 

Posted onAugust 3, 2021CategoriesNewsTagsIsrael

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned that Israel could “act alone” against Iran in response to the recent drone attack on a ship linked to an Israeli billionaire. Iran strongly rejects the claim that it was behind the attack, while the US and UK have joined Israel in blaming the Islamic Republic.

“They can’t sit calmly in Tehran while igniting the entire Middle East — that’s over,” Bennet said. “We are working to enlist the whole world, but when the time comes, we know how to act alone.”

On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz made similar comments and said action should be taken against Iran “right now.” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also threatened Iran this week, warning that Washington is working with partners on an “appropriate response, which will be forthcoming.”

British media has reported that the UK is mulling a range of options to take against Iran, including a cyberattack or a special forces assault. The attack on the Japanese-owned tanker killed one British national, as well as a Romanian.

Despite all the accusations, so far, no evidence has been presented to prove Iran was responsible. According to The Times of Israel, Hebrew media reported Tuesday that Gantz and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will hold a briefing with UN Security Council representatives on Wednesday where they will show intelligence that shows Iran was behind the attack.

Israel has a long history of attacking Iran covertly, including attacks on Iranian ships, sabotaging Iranian nuclear facilities, or carrying out brazen assassinations inside the Islamic Republic. On top of the operations directly against Iran, Israel is also constantly bombing Tehran’s allies in Syria, striking the country almost every week.

When warning against any “adventurism” over the ship attack, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on Monday accused the US and UK of hypocrisy for never speaking out against Israel’s attacks on Iranian ships in the region. Khatibzadeh also reiterated that Iran believes the accusation against it is “baseless.”

https://news.antiwar.com/2021/08/03/bennett-warns-israel-can-act-alone-against-iran-over-ship-attack/