Israel Iran conflict: Tehran says will retaliate ‘in seconds’ as Israel vows response to air attack

Israel’s military chief stated on Monday (local time) that the country will respond to Iran’s weekend attack and is waiting for a go-ahead message from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid fears of escalation in the Middle East crisis. Meanwhile, Iran said it will respond in ‘seconds’ to any strikes from Israel.

The Israeli military chief, Herzi Halevi, stressed that Israel is considering its next steps and that the April 13 Iranian strike, “will be met with a response”, while Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran for Political Affairs, Ali Bagheri Kan, asserted that the response speed from Iran “will be less than a few seconds.”

On April 13, Iran launched a direct attack on its arch-foe Israel for the first time, firing more than 300 missiles and drones. This attack came in response to a deadly April 1 airstrike on Tehran’s consulate building in Syria’s capital, Damascus, which was widely blamed on Israel.