Israel’s Response to Iran Attack: A Soft Target Approach?

In light of the recent raid, it is likely that Israel will target Iranian proxy forces and soldiers abroad instead of directly attacking Iran, according to US officials. This decision was made based on discussions between Washington and Tel Aviv that took place before Iran’s attack on Israeli territory on April 13. The attack, which involved more than 300 missiles and drones, was a response to an earlier attack on Iran’s consulate in Syria that killed 7 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

During these discussions, the Israeli side informed the US of various response scenarios, ranging from no military action to a direct attack on Iranian territory. However, due to the lack of casualties and major damage caused by Iran’s raid, Israel is believed to be considering a softer response by targeting proxies or soldiers outside of Iran’s territory, such as in Syria.

Despite a lack of a final decision from Israel’s war cabinet on the method and timing of retaliation, there is a consensus among its members on the need to respond to Iran. The US government has not been informed of Israel’s final decision or any potential changes in their response scenario following Iran’s attack.

Both the US and Israeli governments have refrained from commenting on the situation publicly. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer stated that all options are still being considered, while military commander Herzi Halevi confirmed that a response to Iran is imminent without specifying details.

Israel aims to coordinate its actions with Washington in order to avoid sparking conflict in the region and maintain alliances against Iran. Both countries have previously called on Israel to exercise restraint in order to reduce tensions in the Middle East.