Netanyahu says Israel preparing for new battlefronts even as it pounds Gaza

Israel is preparing for possible war scenarios in other areas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, even as it continues its offensive in Gaza. The comments were made amid concern that Iran was preparing to strike Israel in response to the attack on its Consulate in Syria.

“Whoever harms us, we will harm them. We are prepared to meet all of the security needs of the State of Israel, both defensively and offensively,” he said in comments released by his office.

Tehran holds Israel responsible for the strike on its consulate in Damascus, that killed 12 people, including Revolutionary Guard Generals.

“When they attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our territory,” Khamenei said, in remarks broadcast by Iranian state TV. “The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished.” Neither Katz nor the Ayatollah elaborated on the way they would retaliate.

In a post on X, the Iranian minister said he had told them that "when the Zionist regime breaches the immunity of diplomatic persons and places" and the UN Security Council fails to condemn it, "legitimate defence... is a necessity".

He added that "Iran does not seek to expand the scope of the war."

Israel's foreign minister also threatened to strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel. “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran,” Israel Katz said in a post on X in both Farsi and Hebrew.