Roving Periscope: Cycle of violence continues in the Gulf region; Israel ready for a long haul
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: With Iran confirming the killing of its security chief Ali Larijani and Israel saying its ready for a long haul, the ongoing conflict in West Asia continued unabated as Tehran targeted allies of the US amid no clarity on whether America and/or Israel will land their ground troops to tame their adversary.
Iran on Tuesday confirmed the death of its national security chief Ali Larijani, hours after Israel claimed responsibility for killing him in an airstrike, the media reported.
In a statement, the Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) said Dr Ali Larijani was killed along with his son Mortaza Larijani, SNSC deputy for security Alireza Bayat, and several bodyguards in an Israeli strike, reported Press TV.
The statement described Larijani’s efforts “up until the very final moments of his blessed life” as being dedicated to safeguarding national interests. It also highlighted his continued counsel urging both the public and authorities to maintain unity in the face of hostile actions against Iran.
His “martyrdom” would strengthen the resolve of the nation and its leadership to continue advancing Iran’s position, the statement said.
According to Press TV, Larijani also served as a member of Iran’s expediency council and as a senior adviser to the slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Earlier, he had served as the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) for 12 years.
Dr. Larijani had also contested presidential elections and served as head of the national broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel claimed that its airstrikes in Iran had killed Larijani and Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani, and asserted it was ready for the war continuing in coming weeks.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said, “Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation programme, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed carrying out the strikes on Larijani and Soleimani.
Even after the US-Israel’s relentless airstrikes on Iran since February 28, when this war began, Tehran has continued to retaliate fiercely, not only against the duo’s assets but also those of pro-America Arab countries. Hours after the Larijani killing, Iran again launched a fresh wave of attacks.
The US-Israeli war with Iran has killed at least 1,300 people in Iran, more than 900 in Lebanon and 14 in Israel, according to officials in those countries.
Early on Wednesday, Iran struck Israel and neighbouring Gulf countries. Explosions were heard in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and interceptions reported in Saudi Arabia.
The attacks came hours after Iranian state media confirmed Israel’s military killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani in an overnight strike, as well as General Gholam Reza Soleimani, who headed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC)’s Basij Force, known for its role in suppressing popular anti-government protests across Iran just before the war began.
An Israeli airstrike struck an apartment building in Bachoura, central Beirut, completely flattening it as day broke. Two earlier strikes on residential apartments in other central Beirut neighbourhoods early Wednesday killed at least six people and wounded 24 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Israeli strikes targeting central Beirut have become increasingly frequent in recent days, with or without prior warning. The attacks have hit far from the city’s southern suburbs, for which the army issued evacuation notices early in the war with Hezbollah.
Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, will host a consultative meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries as the Iran war shows no sign of abating.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the meeting in the capital Riyadh will include a discussion of means to “support regional security and stability.” Gulf Arab states have repeatedly come under fire from Iran, raising anger at Tehran, as well as the United States and Israel, for launching the war.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said its forces shot down a drone Wednesday morning as it approached the diplomatic quarter in the capital Riyadh, which houses the US embassy and other foreign missions.
Missile alerts sounded in Dubai again on Wednesday morning as the noise of interceptors exploding overhead boomed across the city-state. Dubai authorities said all the interceptions had been successful with no injuries.
Israel said it detected a new missile launch from Iran targeting it on Wednesday morning.
