The Middle East is on the brink of a regional conflict.
The world is waiting to see if tit-for-tat strikes by Israel and Iran will end after one exchange or escalate, threatening a wider war. Both sides have made clear their determination to defend their national interests. Restraint is needed now.
Last weekend, Iran launched a battery of more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel, its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory. That move was retaliation for Israel’s April 1 missile strike on Tehran’s Damascus consulate, which killed seven officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two senior commanders. (Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack.) The Iranian strike reportedly did limited damage to an Israeli military facility and a young girl was injured.