From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Israel coordinating with US on ‘harsh’ response ‘within days’ to Iran missile attack – report
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is tonight holding the latest in a series of top-level security consultations, as Israel decides how and when to respond to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Tuesday, Channel 12 reports.
It quotes ministerial sources saying Israel “will exact a heavy price from the ayatollahs’ regime.”
The anticipated “harsh response” is being closely coordinated with the Biden administration, the TV report says, citing the possibility of a phone call soon between Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden.
The Israeli response is expected to be carried out “within days,” the report says.
The unnamed ministerial sources say Israel cannot and will not allow Tuesday’s attack to pass without “a significant” Israeli response, and the report says that “many options” are being considered.
Israel is also seeking to apply heavy diplomatic pressure on the US and the west in general to impose stringent new sanctions on Iran, Channel 12 says, elaborating that Israel sees not only a military opportunity to hit Iran hard, but also a chance to toughen the global stance and see the imposition of sanctions that the west has refused to impose for a long time.
The report cites defense sources confirming that the US will back Israel in its response and help defend Israel against further Iranian attack.
It notes that Israel’s current official war goals require it to avoid a regional war, and asserts without elaboration or sourcing that this “will certainly be weighed in the future.”
It says the Israeli Air Force is ready “for a series of actions and responses” and is awaiting the political echelon’s instructions.
