Israel’s ambassador to the UK has refused to rule out her country launching strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites as the Middle East crisis deepens.
Tzipi Hotovely repeatedly avoided the question when quizzed on the Israeli government’s intentions.
She was appearing on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg days after Iran launched nearly 200 missiles on Israel.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, has vowed to retaliate - but has been warned by his country’s western allies not to target Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Kuenssberg asked the ambassador: “Your leader Benjanim Netanyahu has warned there will be a strike on Iran in some form after they attacked Israel a few days ago.
“Will you rule out attacking Iran’s nuclear sites, which is what President Biden wants you to do?”
The ambassador replied: “I’ll tell you what Israel is definite to do - to remove the threat.
“Iran attacked Israel twice, on April 14 and just a few days ago, with hundreds and hundreds of missiles. Those missiles were targeting civilians, those missiles could kill thousands of people if Israel didn’t have such a good, protective system and very disciplined civilians that were in shelters.
“So we’re not interested to be under a missile threat from Iran. We’re not interested to be under this ring of fire from the proxies. This is why we will dismantle the threat, this is for the cabinet to decide how.”
Kuenssberg then said: “Could the include a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, because many western leaders think that would move the whole world into a new phase of danger.
“President Biden has asked Israel to rule out attaching Iran’s nuclear sites. Will you?”
Hotovely replied: “We will do everything to remove the threat, first. Second, if the world wants to prevent something like that, first of all we need to prevent from Iran nuclear abilities.”
Asked in a separate interview on Sky News whether Israel would attack Iran directly, the ambassador said: “All options are on the table.”
She added: “The prime minister said it very clearly that he won’t allow this type of threat to continue.
“Iran has a very strategic plan about how it wants to destroy Israel. It has created this ring of fire around us through its proxies and on April 14 and last Tuesday they were attacking Israel direct. Iran did a mistake and Iran will pay for this mistake. We’re saying that loud and clear.”
Science secretary Peter Kyle told Sky News that the government is “advising restraint” in its talks with Tel Aviv.
He said: “We can advise as allies, what we can’t do is dictate. And that is the situation that we’re in.
“And we are advising restraint. We are using all the influence we do have, which is diplomatic. Now, of course, you know, Israel is acting stridently.
We want to make sure that there is as much restraint as possible and a move to a political, diplomatic solution, because that is the only way this entire conflict is going to come to an end.”
