Tel aviv: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin to help communicate to Iran that Tel Aviv harbors no aggressive intentions, amidst rising tensions and concerns over a potential preemptive strike by Tehran.
According to Anadolu Agency - English, confidential diplomatic sources disclosed that Netanyahu requested Putin to deliver messages of reassurance to Iran, indicating that Israel does not plan to initiate an attack. These messages have reportedly been sent recently, involving direct communication between Netanyahu and Putin, to alleviate fears that Tehran might consider a preemptive strike against Israel.
Further reports from KAN, Israel's public broadcaster, highlighted that Russian President Putin stated last October he was asked to relay a message to Iran affirming that Israel is "not interested in escalation." Despite these assurances, Netanyahu made a statement to the Knesset on Monday, emphasizing that any attack on Israel would result in "very severe consequences" for Iran.
KAN also noted that within Israel, there is a looming concern that a miscalculation by Iran, driven by fears of an imminent Israeli attack, could provoke a conflict. In light of this, Israeli political and security leaders have engaged in discussions focusing on significant security issues, particularly concerning Iran.
The speculation about a potential Israeli offensive against Iran has been fueled by media reports suggesting Tehran's efforts in "rebuilding its ballistic missile program." Earlier this year, a 12-day conflict erupted between Israel and Iran, during which Tehran responded with drone and missile attacks following Israeli military actions. The conflict saw the US military targeting three key Iranian nuclear sites before a ceasefire was established through diplomatic interventions.