Israel’s security apparatus has been discussing the timing of Iran’s revenge for the damage attributed to Israel at the advanced weapons facility in Isfahan, Kan 11 reported Monday night. The Iranians are expected to attack Israeli tourists, businessmen, and senior officials abroad, as well as embassies (as they have recently done against the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran), or vessels that are part-owned by Israelis.
Another scenario envisions missiles or drones launched from Syria against civilian targets in northern Israel, or by the Houthi militia in Yemen against Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Israel was behind the overnight drone strike in Isfahan. Quoting “US officials and people familiar with the operation,” the report said three Israeli quadcopters targeted a defense compound located next to a site belonging to the Iran Space Research Center (WSJ: Israel Behind Overnight Drone Strike on Iranian Munitions Site).
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the drone attack was “cowardly” and aimed at creating “insecurity” in the country.
The Iranians are very unhappy at the attack that exposed them as extremely vulnerable to Israel’s superior intelligence and military prowess. They were also very upset at Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak, who tweeted after the Isfahan drone attack: “War logic is inexorable & murderous. It bills the authors & accomplices strictly… Explosive night in Iran – drone & missile production, oil refineries. Ukraine did warn you.”
The Iranian foreign ministry summoned the Ukrainian charge d’affaires in Tehran over the tweet. Normally, you’re not supposed to behead a diplomat, but Iran has shown it does not respect diplomatic boundaries and has no problem invading embassies, so, maybe wear a turtleneck, Mr. charge d’affaires.
It ended with less drama than expected. According to Iran’s foreign office, an Iranian official handed the Ukrainian charge d’affaires a note of protest and demanded an official and immediate explanation from Ukraine’s government over the matter. The Ukrainian charge d’affaires expressed his hope that such remarks will not be repeated.
That was 2 paragraphs with 4 repetitions of the word charge d’affaires.
The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on the sidelines of the 17th session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Algiers on Sunday (did you go?): “Since the Zionist regime is familiar only with the language of force, action must be taken against that regime to force it to stop aggression against the Muslims and the territories of the Islamic countries.”
Oh, sure, ask Iran’s Muslim neighbors who keeps them up at night, Israel or Iran.
