Hezbollah claimed on Tuesday April 16 that it had launched two explosive drones on Israeli positions. The fighters of the Lebanese movement led “an aerial attack with suicide drones (..) on Beit Hillel, hitting the ‘Iron Dome’ launch pads and their personnel”, the pro-Iranian group said, referring to the Israeli air defense system. It thus confirms the announcement of the Israeli army, which affirmed a little earlier Tuesday that “two armed drones” from Lebanon had exploded in northern Israeli territory. The Upper Galilee Regional Council said three people were injured. Follow our live stream.
An escalation would have “catastrophic consequences”, warns Vladimir Putin. The Russian president called on Israel and Iran to “detention”, during an interview with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raïssi on Tuesday. Vladimir Putin warned against “catastrophic consequences for the entire region” of any further escalation, the Kremlin said, after the meeting between the two leaders.
The Israeli army warns that Iran will “not emerge unscathed” from its attack. “We cannot stand idly by in the face of such aggression, Iran will not emerge unscathed” of its attack, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said Tuesday during a press visit to a base in southern Israel. “Firing 110 missiles directly at Israel will not go unpunished. We will respond when, where and how we choose”he added.
Tehran reiterates its “will to restrain”. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke on the phone with his Iranian counterpart, the official Xinhua news agency reported. He specifies that Tehran has once again expressed its “will to restrain” after his unprecedented attack on Israel. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, head of Iranian diplomacy, expressed to Beijing his wish not to aggravate the situation “very sensitive” in the region, warning nevertheless that any new attack against Iran’s interests or security would trigger a response “decisive, immediate and important”warning the United States in particular.