Tensions between the Israeli regime and Iran reached a boiling point on Monday night when Israeli authorities considered conducting a strike against Iran. However, according to Axios, ‘Israel’ ultimately backed out of the attack due to undisclosed operational reasons.
The Israeli regime had previously vowed to retaliate against Iranian assets following Tehran’s retaliatory attack on Saturday night. In response, the Biden administration warned ‘Israel’ that such action would not serve the interests of the two allied governments. Unnamed US officials advised Israeli authorities to exercise caution and refrain from escalatory measures.
To avoid further regional escalation, the White House advised ‘Israel’ to frame the interception of Iranian aerial attack weapons as a victory. This approach aims to save face and prevent Iran from launching a larger retaliatory attack.
Although the exact details and reasons behind Israel’s decision to back out remain unclear, US officials confirmed that ‘Israel’ had informed the Biden administration of its choice to wait rather than take immediate action.
According to Axios, a “small Israeli strike” inside Iran could provoke a retaliatory response from the Iranian regime. However, the Biden administration hopes that any Iranian retaliation would be smaller in scale than the attack launched on Saturday, which involved hundreds of drones and missiles.
Iranian officials, including Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, have made it clear that Iran will retaliate if Israel chooses to launch an aggression. When asked if Iran would take such measures, Hajizadeh responded with a resounding “100%.”
Asked if Iran would strike Israel again if they respond to Tehran’s Saturday attack, IRGC Aerospace Commander Amir-Ali Hajizadeh said “100%”. pic.twitter.com/Eei79RjHIc
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) April 17, 2024
This is the second time the decision to attack Iran has been postponed since Saturday, according to Axios. The Israeli war cabinet had initially given the go-ahead for an attack, but ultimately decided against it due to undisclosed operational reasons.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned on Wednesday that any “tiniest invasion” by Israel would face “massive and harsh” response from Iran as the two archenemies sit on the verge of war.https://t.co/CIPRoTikCA
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) April 17, 2024
The United States has urged ‘Israel’ to inform and coordinate future decisions regarding Iran, as a deterioration of the situation would be detrimental to US interests in the region. Israeli officials have been in close communication with their US counterparts, sharing updates from the five-member war cabinet meetings. An Israeli official told Axios that a decision to attack Iranian assets has already been made, with the only question being when and how.
Source: Axios (edited by Al-Manar English Website)
