
Israel dismisses Iran’s charge of tricking US into war as ‘nonsense’
An Israeli official on Sunday dismissed as “nonsense” an allegation by the Iranian foreign minister that Israel was trying to trick the United States into waging war on Iran.
It was Israel that needed to be on alert for possible Iranian strikes on the one-year anniversary on Sunday of the assassination of Tehran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani, in a US drone strike in Iraq, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Kan public radio.
Washington blames Iran-backed militia for regular rocket attacks on US facilities in Iraq, including near the US embassy. No known Iran-backed groups have claimed responsibility.
On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter: “New intelligence from Iraq indicate that Israeli agent-provocateurs are plotting attacks against Americans — putting an outgoing (President Donald) Trump in a bind with a fake casus belli.”
“Be careful of a trap, @realDonaldTrump. Any fireworks will backfire badly, particularly against your same BFFs,” Zarif wrote, in what appeared to be a veiled threat against Israel.
Steinitz said the remarks showed that Iran, after mounting US sanctions billed as curbing its nuclear programme and involvement in regional conflict-zones, was “under pressure - economic pressure, and pressure in terms of national security”.
“We hear this nonsense by Zarif, that Israel would set off terrorist attacks against the United States - this really is total nonsense,” Steinitz told Kan public radio.
“But on the other hand it is a warning sign - a warning sign that Iran is taking aim at Israel, is looking for excuses to lash out at Israel, and therefore we need to have our finger on the pulse and be at the highest state of alert.”
The US military flew two nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Middle East in a message of deterrence to Iran on Wednesday, but the bombers have since left the region.
Interviewed separately on Kan, Israeli Culture Minister Chili Tropper, who like Steinitz sits in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, confirmed media reports that Israel was on heightened alert for the Soleimani anniversary.
Asked what possible Iranian reprisals Israel was anticipating, Tropper said: “I cannot comment.”

England aims to ease lockdown measures by early March under vaccine plan

EU gender pay gap still significant, warn trade unions

Pakistan, Turkey are two countries but one nation: Pak Air Force chief

Indian woman dies in UAE after husband accidentally rams car into her

Wuhan, one year after coronavirus lockdown

Singapore urges national airline to be first to vaccinate all staff

Italian PM Conte seeks to save his government from falling

China's Chang'e-5 lunar probe retrieved samples weighing lesser than 2kg target

Covid-19 vaccination: Immunisation figures in countries with highest caseloads

China locks down another three million after travelling salesman spreads virus

Afghanistan Army kills 8 Taliban terrorists in Takhar province

'Brexit carnage': Shellfish lorries stack up near Downing Street

UK man on a mission to find long-lost hard drive with bitcoin worth $280 million

Insider attack threat looming on Biden inauguration: What do we know so far
