Following Iran's major ballistic missile attack on Tuesday, Israel is reportedly considering striking key Iranian infrastructure, including gas or oil rigs, or possibly targeting Iran's nuclear sites, according to media reports citing Israeli officials.
Other potential responses include targeted assassinations and attacks on Iran's air defense systems, as reported by Axios.
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Escalation and Economic Impact
An attack on Iranian oil facilities could severely damage the country’s economy, and any of the possible responses would likely escalate the ongoing conflict, which has lasted nearly a year since Hamas initiated its attacks on Israel in October 2023.
Israel has not yet decided on a specific course of action, in part due to efforts to coordinate with the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to speak with US President Joe Biden by Wednesday afternoon.
After Tuesday’s attack, Netanyahu declared, "Iran made a big mistake tonight, and it will pay for it," vowing that Israel would retaliate against anyone who attacks the country.
In April, Iran launched around 300 missiles and drones at Israel after an airstrike in Damascus killed several Iranian generals. At the time, Israel's response was relatively restrained, but analysts believe that Israel will likely respond more forcefully this time.
Hezbollah's Weakening Power
Tuesday's missile strike came as Israel was already engaged in a new offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, weakening the Iranian proxy group.
This reduces Hezbollah’s capacity to act as a deterrent against strong Israeli retaliation. However, there remains a risk that Iran could escalate the conflict, potentially leading to a full-scale war.
An Israeli official, speaking to Axios, expressed concern over how Iran might respond to an Israeli strike, saying, "We have a big question mark about how the Iranians are going to respond... they could go all in, which would change the entire dynamic."
Israeli ministers have vowed that Iran will regret the missile attack, with both government and opposition figures calling for a strong retaliatory response. Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared, "The ayatollahs’ regime has crossed the red line, and the State of Israel will not be silent." Defense Minister Yoav Gallant echoed this, stating that "those who attack the State of Israel pay a heavy price."
Calls for targeting Iran's nuclear facilities
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett went further, advocating for strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, energy infrastructure, and the regime itself. Speaking on CNN, Bennett described the situation as a “once in a 50-year opportunity” to take down Iran’s nuclear program and potentially trigger an uprising against the regime.
The US has expressed a willingness to support Israel’s response to the attack, with the White House promising "severe consequences" for Iran. US President Joe Biden indicated that discussions on Israel’s response are ongoing and that consequences for Tehran "remain to be seen."
Agencies
Published: 02 Oct 2024, 05:31 pm IST
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