Iran Claims Right to Retaliate over Alleged Israeli Attack on Ship

Iran claims the right to retaliate over an alleged Israeli attack on one of its ships, the regime’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

“The finger of blame points” at Israel, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh was quoted by the Tasnim news agency as saying.

“The (Israeli) regime’s ferocious and aggressive nature also corroborates this,” he added, noting Israel “always causes turmoil in the region.”

“[Israel] finds its survival in war, crisis and chaos. Iran would consider all options when it finds out who has been involved in this operation, and will resort to them to protect its legitimate rights,” the spokesman said.

He went on to say Iran would not hesitate to safeguard its national interests.

“The Israeli officials are aware how Iran defends itself,” he added.

Last month, Israel blamed Iran for an explosion on an Israeli cargo vessel in the Persian Gulf, blowing four holes on both sides of its hull.

The Wall Street Journal last week reported Israel has targeted at least a dozen ships bound for Syria, most of them carrying Iranian oil, with mines and other weapons.

The attacks began in late 2019, according to U.S. and regional officials.

Iran has carried on with its oil trade with Syria, shipping millions of barrels in violation of both U.S. sanctions against Iran and international sanctions against Syria. Israel sought to stop the trade in oil out of concerns that the profits were financing extremism, the report said.

Iran funds several terror proxies in the region, including the Lebanon-based Hezbollah group.

Israel’s Home Front Command Maj.-Gen. Uri Gordin warned on Monday a future war with Hezbollah would see the terror group firing some 2,000 rockets and missiles per day, stretching the Israeli military’s defense capabilities.

“They know they cannot defeat us on the battlefield, so they will attempt to move the battlefield to a second front: our homes and in our cities,” the IDF general said.

Hezbollah has approximately 150,000 rockets, according to Israeli estimates.