Iran Defiant Amid Israeli Threats, Atomic Chief Vows To Protect Nuclear Facilities

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Iran's atomic chief, Mohammad Eslami, said on Wednesday that the country's armed forces have established necessary deterrence against potential Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. His comments came during an interview on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting in Tehran, addressing the recent tensions between the two nations. This statement comes after Israel threatened to target Iran's nuclear sites in response to Tehran's missile strike on Israeli targets Tuesday night.

The backdrop to this escalation is Israel's warning after Iran launched a missile strike on targets in Israel on Tuesday night. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency, Eslami's statements were a direct response to these threats.

Adding to the tension, U.S. news portal Axios reported that Israeli officials have said that if Iran retaliates against any Israeli response to the missile strike, “all options will be on the table, including strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.”

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett weighed in on the situation, taking to social media platform X early Wednesday to declare, "Israel has now its greatest opportunity in 50 years to change the face of the Middle East."

He urged immediate action, stating, "We must act now to destroy Iran's nuclear programme, its central energy facilities," as reported by Xinhua news agency.

This dramatic back-and-forth follows Iran's launch of approximately 180 ballistic missiles at targets in Israel on Tuesday evening. Tehran claims this action was in retaliation for Israel's assassinations of prominent figures, including Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, as well as ongoing "malicious acts" against Lebanese and Palestinian people with U.S. support.

The situation has sparked concerns about regional escalation dynamics and the potential for a wider military conflict. Experts warn that Iran's nuclear sites could become a tempting target for Israel, potentially leading to a serious escalation spiral ².