Israel’s consul general to Western India Kobbi Shoshani on Monday criticised Iran for its unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend. Speaking to CNN-News18, Shoshani said ‘there will be a response’ to the attack.
“There will be a response. Our war cabinet has met. We are discussing about the further course of action,” Shoshani said.
The Israeli war cabinet, set in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks on Israel to coordinate the retaliatory military offensive against Palestinian Hamas inside the Gaza Strip, met on Sunday to discuss how Israel will retaliate to the Iranian missile barrage, most of which it intercepted using its aerial defences.
“It is clear that Israel will respond. The IDF will need to present options,” an official in the Israeli prime minister’s office was quoted as saying by US broadcaster NBC .
A separate report by news agency Reuters said that the Israeli war cabinet is in favour of a retaliation against Iran but remains divided over the timing and scale of any such response.
Shoshani said it is necessary to main peace and security in the West Asia region and maintain good relations with neighbours while blaming Iran for the tensions.
He also send a message of solidarity to the 17 Indians aboard MSC Aries, a Portuguese-flagged container ship associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime. Zodiac Maritime is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group.
The Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized the cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.
Indian officials will soon be allowed to meet the Indian men held aboard MSC Aries; Iranian officials have assured. The assurance came during a phone call between External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian after the former raised the issue of 17 Indians on MSC ARIES detained by Iran.
“What Iran has done is unacceptable. Iran seizing the ship is an act of terror. I have a message for the families of the 17 Indian sailors on-board. We are brothers,” Shoshani said, speaking of the Indian sailors.
He also assured that everyone, including Indians living in Israel, remains safe. “We have been able to thwart over 90 per cent attacks due to our excellent defence system. (There are) large numbers of Indians in Israel. They still enjoy their chicken tikka and dal rice. Everyone’s safe. Israel is a safe country,” Shoshani further added.
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