Despite Israel's confirmation that it will respond to the Iranian attacks that targeted its territory late Saturday to Sunday, there remains ambiguity regarding the details. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority announced today, Wednesday, that Tel Aviv has decided how to respond to the Iranian attack, but disagreements still exist regarding the timing.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held a meeting at night with military leaders to discuss the response to Iran. Additionally, ministers in the government have urged Netanyahu to target sensitive facilities in Iran. This came as the Iranian navy announced that its forces would escort the country’s ships at sea.
Naval commander Shahram Irani stated today, Wednesday, that the navy will accompany commercial ships to the Red Sea amid ongoing tensions, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. He added, "We accompany our ships from the Gulf of Aden to the Suez Canal and are also ready to protect ships of other countries," as he expressed. Furthermore, he mentioned that "the Jamaran destroyer is currently present in the Gulf of Aden and will continue its mission to the Red Sea."
It is worth noting that Israel is still considering options to respond to the Iranian attacks it experienced late Saturday to Sunday, which were in retaliation for the Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus earlier in April. Some observers and U.S. officials speculate that the response will come directly from Israel towards Iranian territory, targeting specific sites without igniting a broader war, or targeting Iranian interests abroad, which may also include ships, weapon storage sites, or centers for Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Syria, or Lebanon.
Some analysts also believe that the Israeli response may take the form of cyberattacks. American officials have suggested that the Israeli response might happen by the end of this week, but Israel has not disclosed any details in this regard. However, Washington and many of its allied Western countries have urged restraint and not to respond.