site.btaDefence Minister Says Bulgaria Not under Military Threat

"Bulgaria is not under military threat as a result of Israel's actions, our people in the intelligence and warning system are monitoring the situation. We do not need to take action," caretaker Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov told Nova TV on Friday. He was commenting on the news that Israeli missiles struck a site in Iran late on Thursday evening. Iranian state media reported a blast in the central part of the country.

"What we are being told by our intelligence services and our authorities is that it was a limited strike by Israel on Iranian territory on a military target, an air base northwest of Isfahan. We know that there have also been strikes on proxies in Iraq and Syria, which means that this is a decisive demonstration by Israel that it can also reach Iranian territory," Zapryanov said.

According to him, the Israeli strike on Iran could be considered symmetrical. He expressed hope that a new strike would not follow from Israel because Iran struck in several waves. Iran did so so that these drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles could reach Israeli territory at the same time, he added.

Zapryanov argued that a broad regional conflict in the Middle East is not desirable.  A conflict between Iran and Israel in the Middle East would damage international relations and could lead to an increase in terrorist attacks in other countries and on Bulgarian territory. A war there would have consequences for the security of Bulgaria, Zapryanov added.