Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar has posted a letter on X that he says he’s sent to the head of the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
In it, he explains Israel’s rationale for launching its attacks against Iran last week.
He claims the country was given no choice after “decades” of Tehran’s “clandestine acts of hostility” and threats by its leaders for Israel’s “annihilation”.
“It is not merely rhetoric. Iran has a strategic plan to eliminate Israel, which includes concrete plans and actions to achieve this goal,” Sa’ar writes.
He also says Israel first struck in what was its “last window of opportunity” to act to thwart a future Iranian attack.
Sa’ar cites the 24 Israeli civilians killed in what he claims have been “indiscriminate” Iranian attacks which deliberately targeted civilians.
Offical figures released by Iran’s health ministry said on Sunday that Israel’s attacks had killed at least 224 people and says the vast majority of are civilians.
