MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. Russia expects the Israeli authorities to keep a cool head in the wake of the recent Iranian attack, Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov said on Monday.
"Let’s hope that the Israeli authorities will not go headlong into further unwinding this dead-end spiral and stick to a reasonable, balanced approach," Viktorov said in an interview with Russia’s state-run Rossiya-24 television channel.
"This is particularly important after the Iranian side clearly stated that the incident is over and that they are not going to take any further actions," the Russian diplomat continued.
However, Viktorov noted, there are those in the Israeli government that have a more aggressive tone.
"Some radically-oriented members of the [Israeli] Cabinet of Ministers urge for immediate offensive actions," Viktorov stated. "They say that since Israel proved to be good in defense, let’s go on the offensive."
"However, the majority says that this should be given careful thought and there is no need to make hasty decisions about how and when to respond," the diplomat noted. "This is where the Israeli authorities fall right now. At least this is what multiple media sources are saying."
The Russian ambassador to Israel also pointed out that calls for restraint were also being heard.
"For instance, the word ‘restraint’ was voiced in a speech delivered by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, although he called the current developments a manifestation of war," Viktorov added.
On the evening of April 13, Iran launched drones and missiles toward Israel in response to what it called "repeated crimes" from Tel Aviv, including the attack on the consular office of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus ascribed to Israel.
Tehran said that military facilities in Israel were targeted. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed it intercepted 99% of the nearly 350 projectiles launched at Israel. Israel did not report any fatalities or serious injuries, saying minor damage had been caused to Nevatim Air Base.
On April 1, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Public Relations Department reported the death of seven Iranian military advisers in a strike by the Israeli air force on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital.
Two IRGC generals, Mohammad Reza Zahedi and Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, and five officers were killed in the strike. According to Iran’s IRIB TV channel, Zahedi was in charge of Iran’s Al-Quds special forces in Lebanon and Syria. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Tehran would make Israel repent for the strike, while President Ebrahim Raisi vowed that the attack would not go unanswered.