US officials believe that Israel’s response to the Iranian attack will be ‘limited’ in scope and will likely focus on attacks against Iranian forces or militias outside the Islamic Republic, NBC News reported, quoting four US officials.

The assessment is based on conversations between senior Israeli and American officials, which took place even before Iran’s attack on Motzei Shabbos.

Israel does not want to risk sparking a regional war by striking Iran directly.

Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani warned Israel on Monday that if it carries out a retaliatory strike, “Iran will give a harder, faster and more urgent blow.”

He added that the Iranian response will “happen in seconds.”

IDF Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi on Monday visited the Nevatim Airbase, which was slightly damaged in the Iranian attack, and said that “the launch of such a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones at Israel will be met with a response.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)