Days have passed since the Iranian attack on Israel, and anticipation remains high: When and how will Israel respond to Iran's retaliation for the strike on Damascus? The answers are uncertain, with some suggesting the response has been postponed, while others assert it is merely a maneuver to maintain Israel's element of surprise.
In this regard, Israeli officials revealed to Axios that Tel Aviv considered launching a retaliatory strike against Iran but decided to retract, and the war council postponed the attack on Iran for operational reasons. Israeli officials indicated that Tel Aviv had prepared to deliver a retaliatory strike against Iran at least twice this week before backing down, as reported by ABC News.
A range of responses was evaluated, including attacks on what were described as Iran's proxies in the region without targeting Iranian territory. The network also mentioned that one of the proposed options included launching a cyber attack.
Additionally, a senior U.S. official dismissed the likelihood of an Iranian response prior to Passover but noted to ABC that this could change. Passover begins next Monday and lasts until April 30.
The network quoted the unnamed U.S. official stating that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and other leaders in the country remain on high alert. He also mentioned that some are residing in what he described as safe houses and underground facilities.
On Wednesday, Tehran reaffirmed that any Israeli response would be met with a "harsh and violent" counterattack. Israel attacked Iran with drones and missiles last week, claiming it targeted military facilities, including a base in the Negev, which it labeled as a launch site for an attack on Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus earlier this month.
Last Saturday night, Tehran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, firing over 300 projectiles, including ballistic and cruise missiles and drones, with a total payload of 85 tons. Israel confirmed it successfully intercepted the vast majority of these missiles and drones, except for a few ballistic missiles, which caused only limited damage. Iran announced that it conducted the attack as part of "legitimate defense" following the destruction of its consulate premises in Damascus on April 1, which Tehran attributed to Israel.
