Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Newsmax on Saturday that if Iran were to launch retaliatory strikes against Israel it would be “a grave mistake.”
On Friday, Iran’s leader Ayatollah Khamenei promised “harsh punishment” against Israel for the killing of Hamas’ political chief Ismail Haniyeh. Although Israel has claimed responsibility for an airstrike Tuesday in Beirut that killed Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur, Israel has not done so with Haniyeh.
Olmert cautioned Iran saying that if they’re “going to attack Israel, they are going to have to face America and Great Britian and France and some of the moderate Arab countries.”
“Do they really want to start a war that will put them directly against the United States and western countries, and Israel of course, and it may end up in a very painful way for the Iranians,” he said during an appearance on “Saturday Report.”
As tensions in the Middle East continue to rise, the U.S. Defense Department moved a fighter jet squadron into the region on Friday anticipation of an impending attack by Iran.
“Is this [the killing of Haniyeh] a good enough reason for Iran to start a comprehensive battle against western countries and the United States? I think this is going to be a grave mistake. It may bring the Middle East into a phase which we are not happy about. And the end of it will be very very painful to Iran.”
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