Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed planned retaliatory measures against Iran after consulting with US President Joe Biden immediately following the assault, as reported by Israeli television on Wednesday.
According to the Kan public broadcaster, the Israeli cabinet had approved various response options based on the severity of Iran’s attack, initially slated for immediate execution after the assault early Sunday.
A senior source informed the broadcaster, “The response won’t be what was planned any longer, diplomatic sensitivities won out.” They added, “There will be a response, but it seems it will be different from what was planned.” Reports indicate that the altered response may be less forceful than originally approved.
Unnamed Western diplomats informed Kan that “the understanding is that Israel will respond.”
While most of Israel’s leadership and military leaders purportedly endorse retaliatory action against Iran, there is opposition, notably from Shas leader Aryeh Deri, who urged against escalating the situation earlier on Wednesday.
Iran launched over 300 missiles, drones, and rockets at Israel over the weekend in retaliation for an airstrike in Damascus, claiming it targeted a consulate and resulted in casualties among Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel. However, Israel intercepted most of the projectiles, resulting in minimal damage.
Additionally, a report by Axios stated that Israel’s war cabinet discussed authorizing a strike on Iran during a meeting on Monday but ultimately decided against it “for operational reasons.” The Biden administration was reportedly briefed on Israel’s decision to refrain from a response.
Preparations for potential future attacks from Iran are underway within the Israeli Air Force, with adjustments being made based on lessons learned from the recent attack, according to Brig. Gen. Doron Gavish, the former commander of Israel’s air defense.
“We are preparing ourselves for the next time, debriefing the mission and seeing how could we prepare ourselves for the next attack,” Gavish said from a military base in southern Israel.
