According to NBC, U.S. officials believe that Israel has identified targets in response to the recent Iranian attack on its military infrastructure and energy facilities. The report, citing unnamed U.S. officials, indicates that there is no evidence suggesting Israel will target nuclear facilities or carry out assassinations. It added that Israel has not made final decisions on how and when to respond.
The report, also citing U.S. and Israeli officials, mentioned that the response might come during the current Yom Kippur holiday. Israel has repeatedly stated it will retaliate for the Iranian missile attack that occurred on October 1st, which was in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Gaza and the killing of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
While the timing of Israel’s response to the Iranian missile attack that targeted military bases inside Israel earlier this month remains uncertain, sources indicated that the Iranian government is highly tense. It has engaged in urgent diplomatic efforts with Middle Eastern countries to see if it can mitigate the magnitude of Israel’s response, as reported by CNN.
This concern stems from uncertainty over the U.S.‘s ability to convince Tel Aviv to refrain from striking Iranian nuclear sites and oil facilities, especially after Israeli strikes weakened Hezbollah, Tehran’s strongest faction in the region, and significantly reduced its ability to harm Israel. Discussions continue between Washington and Tel Aviv on how the latter plans to respond to the attack launched by Iran on October 1st.
