Israel explores symbolic strike on Iran in next move in shadow war

The options include possible attacks on facilities in Tehran or a cyberattack, the official said.

“Everyone agrees that Israel must respond,” the official said. “How to respond and when to respond is a question.”

The United States, the United Nations and Israel’s European and regional allies have called for restraint after Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles on Saturday night.

The five-hour attack was Israel’s response to a deadly assault on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria this month, which caused damage after being repelled by an international coalition including the United States, France and Britain with aid from the Syrian state. limited.

This provides Israel with a coordinated model against Iran, which analysts say provides an unprecedented strategic opportunity for Israel to return to the international stage and repair its regional alliances after friction in the war with Hamas. But they said it could still be an opportunity if Israel miscalculates its response and prioritizes short-term displays of strength over long-term goals.

“If we can take advantage of this opportunity, this is an opportunity to build a new U.S.-led regional security alliance against Iran,” said Chuck Freilich, former deputy chairman of Israel’s National Security Council and senior fellow at the Israel Institute for National Security Studies. Opportunity. “Who would have thought we would be part of a coalition that includes Britain, France, Jordan and other Arab countries? “

He added that Israeli air defenses and allied forces successfully repelled the attack, which caused only minor damage and one serious injury to Israel, meaning Israel could act with confidence rather than panic.

European leaders on Monday morning reiterated their concerns about a possible escalation in regional security. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a BBC television interview that “the right thing to do is not to escalate the situation.” “We urge them as friends to think with their heads and hearts, to be smart and tough, and to recognize that Iran suffered this failure because this attack was a failure.”

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed a similar view: “We are all worried that the situation may escalate,” Macron told French radio.

U.S. officials have also stressed to Israel that they will not be involved in any Israeli response, fearing it could lead to a wider regional war. Israeli officials said they were aware of the concerns.

“Our allies don’t want us to overreact, we want to work with our allies, especially after we have had success with them,” the Israeli official said. “We don’t have to cause casualties, but we respond very quickly. Important because it sends a message to anyone who wants to do us harm.”

Former IDF deputy chief of staff Yair Golan said the attack would not help Israel counter Tehran’s proxies in the region and concerns over its nuclear program.

“Israel has been fighting Iran to varying degrees for many years,” he said. “It will not stop tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. If Israel reacts now, things will not stop.

He said Israel should focus on its long-term goals by harnessing the energy behind the emerging new alliance against Iran. “We cannot be confused here. Iran has escalated the war,” he explained. “But Israel needs to take smart actions to strengthen the regional and global front against them.”

On October 7, an attack led by Hamas killed 1,200 people in communities surrounding Gaza, and Israeli citizens’ sense of security completely collapsed. Among the Israeli public, successfully repelling Saturday’s attack went some way to restoring national confidence and easing feelings of international isolation.

“I think we did avoid something terrible on Saturday night,” said student Yosef Levy, who was shopping for groceries in Jerusalem on Saturday. Around him, shop walls were covered with posters, some faded, some recently replaced, depicting the faces of Israelis still imprisoned in Gaza. “It’s like the whole world remembers that we were the ones who were attacked. I hope it changes something, I hope it ends the war. But I don’t think anything will change until our hostages are reunited with their families.

The Israeli public is polarized over how Israel should conduct the war, with some prioritizing the return of hostages through a deal with Hamas and others prioritizing pushing for a total victory.

“We are being pulled in many directions,” Leigh Sapir, a 39-year-old lawyer from Tel Aviv, said after dropping her children off at kindergarten on Monday, the first day of school after Saturday night’s attack. “On the one hand, I encourage the government to respond and stand its ground, but on the other hand, I think the focus right now needs to be on the hostage deal.”

But there has been little progress on a deal, with Hamas rejecting Israel’s latest offer over the weekend to at least temporarily suspend its offensive in exchange for the release of hostages.

It was unclear how, if at all, the attack might affect operations in Gaza. On Sunday night, the Israeli military called up two brigades of reserve troops for “combat missions in the Gaza Strip,” fueling speculation that there might be an acceleration in the aftermath of the Rafah attack. Freilich said the force did not appear to be of the “scale” required for any Rafah operation, adding that it was more likely to replenish troops along the Gaza demarcation line rather than start a build-up.

Golan also said that he currently saw no Israeli intention to enter Rafah. However, he said Iran’s attacks were already having an impact on the war.

“Israel’s goal is to secure the freedom of the hostages, disband and find an alternative to Hamas’ rule in Gaza,” he said. “In order to make this a reality, there is incredible new coordination against Iran. We have to take advantage of this, and that’s also true in Gaza.