Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared plans for a retaliatory strike on Iran following its recent missile attacks. Netanyahu made this announcement during a televised address on Saturday (5 October).
Iran launched a significant missile assault on Israel on 1 October, prompting Netanyahu to declare a counterattack.
In his address, the Israeli prime minister stated, "Iran has launched the largest ballistic missile attack in history against our region and our cities, not once but twice. Israel has both the responsibility and the right to defend itself and respond to these attacks, and we shall do so."
During his address, Netanyahu also criticised French President Emmanuel Macron for imposing a ban on sending arms to Israel, claiming that these weapons were being used for genocide in Gaza.
Additionally, President Macron, along with other Western leaders, has called for an arms embargo against Israel.
Netanyahu described this pressure as "disrespectful" and affirmed, "Israel will emerge victorious in this war without their support."
Since 30 September, Israel's ground forces have launched an offensive in southern Lebanon to suppress Hezbollah, an armed group supported by Iran.
Within 24 hours of the offensive, beginning on the evening of 1 October, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an elite branch of its military, began launching successive ballistic missile strikes targeting various Israeli installations.
From that evening until the morning of 2 October, the IRGC reportedly fired nearly 200 missiles.
