While the Israeli war cabinet continues to explore effective responses to the unprecedented Iranian attacks last Saturday night, new American predictions have surfaced. Some officials in President Joe Biden's administration anticipate that Israel will conduct a limited strike within Iran, according to a senior U.S. official revealed on Wednesday. However, he noted that the timing of such strikes remains uncertain, emphasizing that Tel Aviv is not sharing details with Washington regarding targets or timing, as reported by CBS News. The U.S. also does not know if the Israeli government will inform it prior to any strikes.
In recent days, Israeli military and political circles have seen extensive discussions about the timing and nature of the response. While some officials have called for a direct and immediate response, others believe it would be wiser to wait and be cautious. Various scenarios of retaliation have been presented by military leaders, ranging from direct strikes on locations inside Iran, despite opposition from some, including the United States, to also executing assassinations within Iran.
Additionally, some scenarios included strikes on weapons storage sites and military bases belonging to Iranian militias or their supported factions in Syria, Iraq, or even Lebanon. The options for responses also encompassed carrying out extensive cyberattacks on nuclear reactors or sites linked to the Revolutionary Guard.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi vowed on Tuesday that any aggression against his country's territory would prompt a swift and frightening response, although he later clarified that Tehran does not seek further escalation in the region. Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani warned that "Iran will respond in a matter of seconds to any new Israeli attack." He urged them in televised statements not to remedy their strategic error with a second mistake, asserting that if repeated, they should expect a stronger, harsher, and quicker strike, noting this time they wouldn't be granted 12 days, and the measure would be in seconds, referencing Iran's 12-day wait before responding to the Israeli attack on its embassy in Damascus earlier this month.
The U.S. administration has called on the Israeli government to exercise restraint and not to escalate or retaliate, clarifying at the same time that it would not participate in any anticipated Israeli attack. This unprecedented tension in the Middle East has escalated since early April following the targeting of the Iranian consulate, which resulted in the death of Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahdi, a leader in the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard, along with his deputy and five other officers.
