By Palestine Chronicle Staff 
“In an unforgivable tweet of one word, Ben-Gvir managed to mock and shame Israel from Tehran to Washington.”
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has used one word in Hebrew roughly translated as “lame” or “weak” in response to Israel’s alleged attack in Iran on Friday.
On X, Ben-Gvir posted “dardaleh, slang for weak, disappointing, or poor,” according to The Jerusalem Post.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid criticized Ben-Gvir on X, saying: “Never before has a minister in the defense cabinet done such heavy damage to the country’s security, its image, and its international status. In an unforgivable tweet of one word, Ben-Gvir managed to mock and shame Israel from Tehran to Washington.”
דרדל׳ה!
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) April 19, 2024
“Any other prime minister would have thrown him out of the cabinet this morning. Even the ministers who sit next to him and are silent as sheep are not free from responsibility. They are part of an unforgivable security and value failure,” Lapid added.
Air Defenses Activated
Iranian media said on Friday that air defenses were activated against suspicious objects in several cities, including the central province of Isfahan.
IRNA quoted Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s army, as saying that the explosions in the sky were related to anti-aircraft systems shooting at a suspicious object, which did not cause any damage.
The semi-official Mehr News Agency said three drones were destroyed in the skies above Isfahan.
Iran’s state television confirmed “massive explosions” in Isfahan, but said no nuclear facilities were affected or targeted in the central city.
US media reports, citing officials, said that Israel had carried a strike inside Iran.
There was no official Israeli comment yet on reports of launching attacks inside Iran.
Israel’s Threats
Tension escalated between the two countries after Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Saturday in response to the April 1 attack on its consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Seven Iranian military officials were killed in the attack.
After the Iranian attack, Ben-Gvir said on X on Sunday, “Impressive defense until now – now there must be a crushing attack,” according to the Jerusalem Post.
Israel, which has not formally taken responsibility for the consulate attack, has vowed a military response to Iran’s weekend operation, which came in retaliation to Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
(PC, Anadolu)
