Israel is “considering all options” following Iran’s massive attack.

Người Đưa Tin•15/04/2024

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, in an interview with Sky News (UK) on April 14, said Israel was “considering all options” following Iran’s massive drone and missile attack on Israel the previous day, describing the event as a “declaration of war.”

"Each of us should look and ask ourselves, what would we do if we were attacked in such a violent manner?" Herzog told British media.

When asked whether he thought Israel should respond to the attacks by retaliating against Iran, President Herzog said Israel was “considering all options.”

“Now, because we are being restrained and because we know the consequences and because we have consulted with our partners, we are considering all options. And I am quite confident that we will take the necessary steps to protect our people. We are doing so. We are not war seekers,” Herzog said.

The wartime cabinet chaired by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on the afternoon of April 14 to discuss possible responses to a large-scale Iranian attack directly targeting Israel. The Associated Press, citing an Israeli official familiar with the negotiations, reported that no decision had been made by the end of the day.

When asked by AP about plans for retaliation, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), declined to comment directly. He only said: “We are on high alert on all fronts.”

World - Israel is — Objects are seen in the skies over Jerusalem after Iran launched drones and missiles toward Israel on April 13, 2024. Photo: Jerusalem Post

Earlier, late on April 13, Iran launched an attack in retaliation for the alleged Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1, which killed two high-ranking Iranian generals.

By the morning of April 14, Iran announced that the attack had ended and Israel had reopened its airspace. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi declared that Iran had taught Israel a lesson and warned that “any new adventures against Iran’s national interests will be met with a more severe and regrettable response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The two sides have been engaged in a shadow war for years, but the April 13 attack marked the first time Iran launched a direct military strike against Israel, despite decades of hostility since 1979.

Israel said that approximately 300 drones and missiles were launched by Iran toward the country, but more than 99% of what Iran fired was intercepted, with only a few missiles getting through. An Israeli air base suffered minor damage.

For many years, Israel has established – often with the help of the United States – a multi-layered air defense network comprising systems capable of intercepting a variety of threats, including long-range missiles, cruise missiles, short-range missiles, and UAVs.

That system, along with cooperation with the U.S. and other countries, helped prevent what could have been a far more devastating attack at a time when Israel was deeply involved in Gaza as well as engaging in low-level fighting on the northern border with Lebanon's Hezbollah militia. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are backed by Iran.

World - Israel is “considering all options” after Iran’s massive attack (Figure 2). — Israel's Iron Dome system intercepts missiles launched from Lebanon toward Israel, as seen in northern Israel on April 12, 2024. Photo: GZero Media

World - Israel is “considering all options” after Iran’s massive attack (Figure 3). — An underground drone (UAV) base at an undisclosed location in Iran. Photo: The National News

While preventing a major Iranian attack could help restore Israel's image after last October's Hamas offensive, what the nation with the best-equipped military in the Middle East does next will be closely watched in the region and from Western capitals.

Hamas welcomed the Iranian attack, saying it was a “natural right and a fitting response” to the attack in Syria. They called on Iranian-backed groups in the region to continue supporting Hamas in the fight.

Hezbollah also welcomed the attack. Almost immediately after fighting broke out in Gaza, Hezbollah began attacking Israel's northern border. The two sides engaged in daily gunfights, while Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen launched rockets and missiles toward Israel .

Minh Duc (According to AP, Newsmax, A News)

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