Senior US officials made it clear to the New York Times that although the US believes that Israel should not retaliate against Iran’s unprecedented attack on the Jewish state, if it decides to do so and Tehran launches a counterattack – the United States will support Israel and protect it.
The US officials said that they are cognizant of the futility of trying to convince Israel not to respond to the attack and understand that Israeli officials believe they must respond to a direct Iranian attack. “How Israel responds to Iran will be ‘up to them,” US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said two days ago.
The US officials told the Times: “If this counterattack prompts another round of Iranian missiles and drones, U.S. warplanes and warships will once again come to Israel’s defense.”
A US senior official confirmed that the following options for a retaliatory attack are being discussed by the members of Israel’s war cabinet:
1. An aggressive attack on an Iranian target outside of Iran, such as a Revolutionary Guards base in Syria. The downside: the Iranian attack was carried out from its territory and should be met with a corresponding response on its territory.
2. Striking a symbolic target inside Iran’s territory. The downside: Such a move would likely require consultation with the US and risk angering senior US defense officials who are advising against such an attack.
3. A cyberattack on Iranian infrastructure: The downside: There are concerns that such a move will prematurely expose Israel’s cyber capabilities – capabilities that it wishes to preserve for a “doomsday scenario” against the Islamic Republic.
4. Targeted assassinations by the Mossad on Iranian soil. The downside: Israel does not take responsibility for such attacks so they will not serve as a corresponding response to Iran’s public attack.
5. To avoid attacking Iran and instead leverage the international and regional alliance that formed to repel the Iranian attack into something more solid and permanent — or adopting a more diplomatic approach, including sanctions on Iran by the United Nations to create an aggressive diplomatic coalition against Tehran. The downside: a demonstration of weakness against Iran and the erosion of Israeli deterrence.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
6. Flatten Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure setting them back 30 years, as the world cheers.
Hmmmm.
Behind the scenes we know that the administration is putting enormous pressure on Israel to force it to become a punching bag. They have been helping Iran through loosening the billions in sanctions and advising Iran on how to attack Israel.
If Iran is knocked out so goes Hezbollah , Hamas and the Houthis.
I have a bad feeling the response will be a mix of options 2 and 5. Unfortunately Israel probably hasn’t learned the main lesson of the Gaza war, which is that any international sympathy and leverage Israel gains from being victimized lasts approximately 5 minutes.