Middle East skies ‘open’ to Israeli planes amid tension with Iran, defense minister says

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli warplanes are operating everywhere in the Middle East, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Tuesday amid rising tensions with Iran.

“The Air Force planes are operating everywhere, the skies of the Middle East are open,” Gallant told his army forces in northern Israel.

“Any enemy that will fight against us, we will know how to hit it wherever they are,” he added in statements cited by The Times of Israel newspaper.

Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles on Israel on Saturday, in an attack Tehran said was in response to the April 1 attack on its consulate in Syria, in which at least 13 people were killed, including seven military advisers.

Israel has vowed to respond to the Iranian attack.

“The Iranians will not be able to implement a different equation of deterrence against the State of Israel,” Gallant said.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II said Tuesday that his country will not be a battlefield for Israel and Iran.

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian vowed a “stronger” and “extensive” response to any Israeli military attack.

Israel and Iran are regional foes, with decades of hostility and mutual accusations of conducting attacks.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul