Four US officials informed NBC that the United States anticipates Israel’s reaction to Iran’s unprecedented attack early Sunday to be restrained, likely targeting specific key locations outside of Iran.
The officials emphasized that their assessment derives from discussions with Israeli counterparts prior to the attack and acknowledged that Israel’s strategy may have evolved since then. Given the relatively limited damage inflicted by Tehran, Israel might opt for a less aggressive retaliation, the officials suggested.
Rather than directly engaging Iran in retaliation, a move cautioned against by Israel’s allies fearing escalation to a full-scale war, the officials propose that Israel may opt to target Iran’s proxies, such as its militias in Syria or the Hezbollah organization in Lebanon.
Furthermore, the US officials clarified that while Israel is expected to provide updates on its decisions, the US does not plan to actively participate in any retaliatory measures.
An unattributed report by Channel 12 on Monday asserted that Israel’s war cabinet had resolved to respond to Iran’s attack “decisively and vigorously,” intending to convey that Israel “will not tolerate such a significant attack without a response.”
However, the Channel 12 report highlighted Israel’s desire to avoid triggering a broader regional conflict or fracturing the coalition that aided its defense against Iran’s aggression. It also underscored Israel’s intention to coordinate its actions with the United States.
{Matzav.com Israel}
