TEL AVIV/TEHRAN (dpa-AFX) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged other countries to join the fight against Iran. “They fired an intercontinental ballistic missile at Diego Garcia,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the Israeli desert city of Arad, where an Iranian missile struck on Saturday evening and caused severe destruction.
Iran’s missile attack on Diego Garcia as a warning
According to state television, Iran fired two ballistic missiles on Saturday at a military base shared by Great Britain and the USA on the island of Diego Garcia. The base is about 4,000 kilometers southeast of the Iranian coast.
“You now have the capacity to penetrate deep into Europe,” Netanyahu said, according to his office. Iran has already attacked European countries such as Cyprus. By blocking the Strait of Hormuz, which is important for world trade, Tehran is also trying to “blackmail the entire world.”
When asked whether NATO shared Israel’s assessment that these were missiles with a range that could also hit Berlin, Rome and Paris, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that this could not be confirmed at the moment. “We’re still looking into it,” he said on the US TV show “Face the Nation” on CBS News. “What we know for sure is that they are close to achieving this capability.”
British Local Government Secretary Steve Reed told the BBC there was “no concrete evidence that the Iranians are targeting Britain – or even could, even if they want to.” As to whether Iran has missiles that could reach London, there is “no assessment” that can substantiate this claim.
Netanyahu’s call to other countries
Netanyahu further asked during his visit to Arad: “What more proof do you need that this regime that threatens the whole world must be stopped?” It is time “for the heads of state and government of the other countries to join in,” said Netanyahu, without naming specific states. Some are already moving in this direction, “but more is needed.” It’s about the “security of the entire world,” said the head of government.
Almost a week ago, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) rejected German military involvement in protecting oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and criticized US President Donald Trump’s course. NATO is a defense and not an intervention alliance, said Merz in Berlin. The USA and Israel began attacks against Iran on February 28th. Tehran responded with massive rocket attacks on Israel and other countries in the region./le/DP/nas
