Iran will respond at a ‘maximum level’ if Israel acts against its interests, says foreign minister
The Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amir-abdollahian, said on Friday that Iran will respond at an immediate and “maximum level” if Israel acts against its interests, according to Reuters.
In an interview with NBC News, Amir-abdollahian said, speaking through an interpreter:
If Israel wants to do another adventurism and acts against the interests of Iran, our next response will be immediate and will be at the maximum level.
His comments follow reports of an Israeli strike on Iran early Friday.
Key events
Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said he addressed the “grave situation” in Gaza and how to step up humanitarian aid to the Israeli-besieged territory with Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry during a meeting on Saturday in Istanbul.
“We have discussed what more we can do to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, and what can be done in the long run for a two-state solution,” Fidan told a joint news conference with Shoukry, according to Reuters.
Commenting on Iran-Israel tensions, Egypt’s foreign minister said: “We are concerned about ongoing escalation in the region. We have called on both parties to exercise restraint.”
On the same topic, Fidan said: “Our first priority should be ending Israel’s occupation in Palestine and a two-state solution.”
Shoukry also said that Egypt is to host a Turkish delegation to prepare for the Egyptian president visiting Turkey in the near future.
Iraqi military say it is investigating the cause of explosion at Kalso military base
The Iraqi military said a technical committee was looking into the cause of an explosion and fire at the Kalso military base, which it said happened at 1am on Saturday (10pm GMT/11pm BST Friday), reports Reuters.
A huge blast at the military base in Iraq early on Saturday killed a member of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) and injured eight others, according to a ministry of interior official (see 08:47 BST). Per Reuters, the force commander said it was an attack while the army said it was investigating and there were no warplanes in the sky at the time.
Two security sources had said earlier that an airstrike caused the blast at Kalso military base about 50 km (30 miles) south of Baghdad.
According to Reuters, the PMF said in a statement that its chief of staff Abdul Aziz al-Mohammedawi had visited the location and “reviewed the details of the investigative committees present in the place that was attacked”.
“The air defence command report confirmed, through technical efforts and radar detection, that there was no drone or fighter jet in the airspace of Babil before and during the explosion,” the military said in a statement.
The US military’s Central Command (Centcom), in a post on X early on Saturday, denied what it said were reports that the US had carried out airstrikes in Iraq.
We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 20, 2024
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh will meet Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday with Middle East tensions at a high after Israel’s reported attack on Iran and Gaza bracing for a new Israeli offensive, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
AFP writes that Erdoğan has sought but failed to establish a foothold as a mediator in the Palestinian conflict and has remained discreet about his meetings with the Hamas head.
“We will keep the agenda between us and Mr Haniyeh,” Erdoğan said when questioned by journalists on Friday.
AFP reports that an official source said the pair would meet at the Dolmabahçe Palace on the banks of the Bosphorus at 2pm (11am GMT/12pm BST). Hamas meanwhile said in a statement that the war in Gaza would figure in the talks.
With Qatar saying it will reassess its role as a mediator between Hamas and Israel, Erdoğan sent Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan to Doha on Wednesday in a new sign that he wants a role, says AFP. Fidan will on Saturday hold talks with Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry.
“Even if only I, Tayyip Erdoğan, remain, I will continue as long as God gives me my life, to defend the Palestinian struggle and to be the voice of the oppressed Palestinian people,” the president said on Wednesday when he announced Haniyeh’s visit.
Haniyeh has not met Erdoğan since he and Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas held talks with the Turkish president in July 2023.
At least nine killed in strikes on Rafah, says Gaza health ministry
At least nine people have been killed and several others injured in strikes on Rafah in southern Gaza, reports the BBC citing the Hamas-run health ministry.
According to the BBC’s reports, “Israeli planes and tanks pounded several parts of the territory overnight” and the health ministry said that one strike had hit a residential building in Rafah.
It also reports that airstrikes have reportedly hit the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Explosion at military base was the result of an attack – Iraqi officials
Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces said on Saturday that the explosion which took place at its command post at Kalso military base was the result of an attack, reports Reuters.
Here are some of the latest images from the newswires:
Also, this piece by Peter Beaumont explains more about the Iranian city of Isfahan, which is home to the country’s nuclear facilities:
Paul Scruton, Lucy Swan, Iona Serrapica and Alex Olorenshaw have created a visual guide to Friday’s events in Iran via graphics, video and satellite images.
You can take a look at it here:
At least 34,049 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes since 7 October, says health ministry
The latest figures from the Gaza health ministry, which is run by Hamas, said 37 Palestinians were killed and 68 injured in Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours.
According to the statement, at least 34,049 Palestinians have been killed and 76,901 have been injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October.
The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants.
Member of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces killed and eight hurt in base blast, military says
One member of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces was killed and eight injured in an explosion at its command post on the Kalso military base 50 km (30 miles) south of Baghdad, a military statement said on Saturday, reports Reuters.
There were no drones or fighter jets detected in the airspace of the Babylon area before or during the blast, the military confirmed in a statement.
‘Bombing’ hits Iraq military base, security sources say
Several people were injured in a “bombing” overnight Friday on an Iraqi military base housing pro-Iranian paramilitaries, two security sources said, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The explosion hit the Calso base, where former pro-Iranian paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi – now integrated into the regular army – are stationed, an interior ministry source and a military official told AFP.
The ministry of interior official said the attack had killed one person and injured eight others, while the military source reported three Iraqi military personnel had been injured.
In a statement, Hashed al-Shaabi said the attack had inflicted “material losses” and casualties, without specifying the number of injured.
The organisation said an “explosion” had hit its premises on the base and that investigators were sent to the site.
Responding to questions from AFP, the security sources would not identify who was responsible for the attack, or say whether it had been a drone strike.
The ministry source said:
The explosion hit equipment, weapons and vehicles.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
A spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry condemned the US’s veto of a Palestinian request to the UN security council, blocking the world body’s recognition of a Palestinian state, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Iranian diplomat Nasser Kanani called Washington’s veto “irresponsible” and “unconstructive”.
US House pushes ahead with $95bn foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan
US congress has pushed a $95bn national security aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies closer to passage.
The package would provide additional aid to Israel after an airstrike in Iran that the US attributed to it.
A key procedural vote gained approval on Friday to move ahead with the bill, with the Democrats joining Republicans in a rare assist, Associated Press (AP) reported.
Aid for the international conflict between Russia and Ukraine has received faltering support from far-right conservatives, threatening the bill’s passage. The legislation would also provide humanitarian support to Taiwan and Ukraine.
With the latest procedural obstacle cleared, the bill could be approved by the House this weekend and then sent to the Senate.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to weigh in on the Israeli strikes in Iran on Friday, telling reporters during a press briefing that the Biden administration was going to avoid commenting on the subject altogether.
As per Reuters, the attack appeared to target an Iranian air force base near the city of Isfahan, deep inside the country, but without striking any strategic sites or causing major damage.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken said the US had not been involved in any offensive operations.
Additionally, the Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amir-abdollahian said that Tehran was investigating the overnight attack on the country, adding that so far a link to Israel had not been proven as he downplayed the strike, according to Reuters.
Hossein Amir-abdollahian told NBC News the drones took off from inside Iran and flew for a few hundred meters before being downed.
They’re … more like toys that our children play with, not drones.
It has not been proved to us that there is a connection between these and Israel.
He added that Iran was investigating the matter but that media reports were not accurate, according to Tehran’s information.
Amir-abdollahian said that the drones reportedly fired by Israel at the Iranian city of Isfahan did not cause “any damage or casualties”, as reported by Iranian media.
Iranian media and officials described a small number of explosions, which they said resulted from air defences hitting three drones over Isfahan in central Iran in the early hours of Friday.
They referred to the incident as an attack by “infiltrators”, rather than by Israel, obviating the need for retaliation.
Amir-abdollahian warned that if Israel retaliated and acted against the interests of Iran, Tehran’s next response would be “immediate” and at the “maximum level”.
But if not, then we are done. We are concluded.
Iran will respond at a ‘maximum level’ if Israel acts against its interests, says foreign minister
The Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amir-abdollahian, said on Friday that Iran will respond at an immediate and “maximum level” if Israel acts against its interests, according to Reuters.
In an interview with NBC News, Amir-abdollahian said, speaking through an interpreter:
If Israel wants to do another adventurism and acts against the interests of Iran, our next response will be immediate and will be at the maximum level.
His comments follow reports of an Israeli strike on Iran early Friday.
Opening summary
It has gone 10am in Gaza and Tel Aviv. This is our latest Guardian live blog on the Israel-Gaza war and the wider Middle East crisis.
But first, here’s a summary of the latest developments:
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The Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amir-abdollahian, said on Friday that Iran will respond at an immediate and “maximum level” if Israel acts against its interests, according to Reuters. Amir-abdollahian said earlier that drones reportedly fired by Israel at the Iranian city of Isfahan did not cause “any damage or casualties”, as reported by Iranian media.
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US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said at the G7 meeting: “We’re committed to Israel’s security”, but added”:“We’re also committed to de-escalating.” Blinken also said that despite the confrontation, the US remained “intensely focused on Gaza”.
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The US Congress is pushing forward a $95m national security package that would provide additional aid to Israel following Israel’s reported airstrike in Iran. The bill overcame a massive hurdle with the support of Democrats in the House of Representatives. If approved this weekend, it will be sent to the Senate.
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A spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry denounced the US’s veto of a Palestinian request to the UN security council, blocking the world body’s recognition of a Palestinian state. Iranian diplomat Nasser Kanani called the veto “irresponsible” and “unconstructive”.
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US officials confirmed that Israel carried out airstrikes against Iran, as explosions were reported in the sky over the cities of Isfahan and Tabriz, while the Iranian government sought to play down the scale of the attack.
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According to Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, speaking later on Friday, the US told the G7 foreign ministers meeting in Capri that it had received “last-minute” information from Israel about a drone action in Iran. Israel’s N12 news channel reported that Israel had also struck targets in Iraq and Syria, and explosions were reported in both those countries.