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Iran Rejects Western Appeals to Avoid Retaliation Against Israel
Iran has firmly dismissed calls from the UK and other Western nations to refrain from retaliating against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. In a rare phone conversation on Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to cease ongoing threats of a military attack. However, President Pezeshkian defended retaliation as a “way to stop crime” and a “legal right,” according to reports from Iranian state media.
Israel, which has not confirmed involvement in Haniyeh’s killing, has heightened its military alert level in response to the escalating situation. The United States, anticipating potential attacks from Iran or its proxies, has increased its military presence in the Middle East to bolster Israel’s defenses.
Additionally, Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, has vowed to retaliate over Israel’s recent airstrike in Beirut, which killed one of its senior commanders. This situation has intensified concerns about a broader regional conflict.