At a time when Israel's military strikes on Iranian territory are stirring international criticism and concern, Friedrich Merz, a leading opposition politician in Germany, has defended the attacks. He referred to Israel as a state that is doing a "dirty job necessary for all of us".
“All I can say is: I have deep respect for the courage shown by the Israeli army and government in carrying out this action. Otherwise, we would have been watching the terror of the Iranian regime for many more years. Worse still, this terror could have been accompanied by nuclear weapons,” – Merz said in an interview with Germany's ZDF television channel, during the G7 summit in Italy.
Is it clear who stands behind “HAMAS”?
According to Friedrich Merz, Iran is spreading death and destruction around the world. He described Tehran as the main sponsor behind the attacks, assassinations, and murders committed by “Hezbollah” and “HAMAS”. “The HAMAS attack on Israel on October 7 would never have occurred without the Tehran regime,” he added.
The war continues: the number of victims is rising
The Israeli Defense Forces announced on June 13 that they had launched a military operation against Iran with the goal of destroying Iran's nuclear capability. In response, Iran struck Israeli cities with rockets and drones. At least 24 people have been killed in Israel, with hundreds injured.
However, the heaviest casualties of this conflict are occurring inside Iran. According to official reports, in Tehran – a city with a population of over 15 million – there are no bomb shelters. The majority of the targets since June 13 have been within the city.
According to Hossein Kermanpour, a representative of the Iranian Ministry of Health, by the evening of June 15, 224 people had been killed and over 1200 injured as a result of Israeli strikes. He noted that 90 percent of the casualties were civilians.
At the same time, it is currently impossible to independently verify all the claims being made by both sides.
