Tehran stressed its right to retaliate against Israeli action but said it was also focused on a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.

Iran warned on Saturday it would defend itself after Israeli air strikes killed at least four soldiers and further stoked fears of a full-scale war in the Middle East.

Biden had urged Israel to spare nuclear and oil facilities in its retaliatory strikes and the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that no nuclear sites were hit.

Iran insisted it had the “right and the duty” to defend itself, while its Lebanese ally Hezbollah said it had already launched rocket salvoes targeting five residential areas in northern Israel.

Hezbollah later issued evacuation warnings for more than a dozen named locations in Israel, while the Israeli army made similar warnings for two neighbourhoods in southern Beirut.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported early Sunday that Israel had carried out a fresh raid in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Iran’s armed forces general staff said only radar systems were damaged in the strikes and held back from any threat of immediate retaliation.

“While reserving its legal and legitimate right to respond at the appropriate moment, Iran is prioritising the establishment of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon,” it said.

The Israeli retaliation drew condemnation from Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, which warned against further escalation. Jordan said Israeli jets had not used its airspace.

Turkey was one of the most outspoken critics, calling for an end to “terror created by Israel”.

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  • PowerCrazy@lemmy.ml
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    5 days ago

    Death to Israel. However Iran is as big a threat to Israel as the average US citizen. They should probably work on reforming their government from a strongman theocracy to something closer to china. Having a “spiritual leader” is alone worthy ridicule, and revoking of international recognition.

    • TheOubliette@lemmy.ml
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      5 days ago

      ???

      Do you think the average US citizen can have the impact of Operation True Promise 2, let alone the entire state apparatus that carried it out?

      Or do you mean that you are comparing Israel’s threat to US citizens vs. Iran’s?

      Very confused.

    • freagle@lemmygrad.ml
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      5 days ago

      This dogmatic anti-religion stance has demonstrably blinded you to actual material reality. This anti religion stance was also one of the biggest mistakes the USSR made when it was starting it.

      • Kuori [she/her]@hexbear.net
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        5 days ago

        This anti religion stance was also one of the biggest mistakes the USSR made

        idk given how the church has come back with a vengeance in russia i’d say the ussr should have stomped harder

        the person you’re talking to is still being silly though

        • freagle@lemmygrad.ml
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          4 days ago

          The nigh universal communist consensus is that enforced atheism is a mistake and not a single communist country today embraces it