The salvo involved more than 300 missiles and drones, the majority of which were intercepted with the help of the US, UK, France and Jordan.
It is widely expected that Israel's next steps will have to be calibrated along two axes: it must take some sort of action to demonstrate to Iran that such an unprecedented show of force cannot pass without consequences but at the same time must take into account Tehran's threat to strike again "with greater force" if Israel retaliates. None of the options are without risk.
Will Israel respond?
While the destructiveness of the Iranian strikes could have been much worse, with just one casualty reported, a seven-year-old girl, a red line has been crossed from an Israeli security and deterrence standpoint. The important questions in regards to a response are how and when: while statements from Gallant and Gantz have implied that a direct response to Tehran is not imminent, Netanyahu has yet to make a formal decision.
The chief military spokesperson, R Adm Daniel Hagari, has made it clear that Israel is keeping its options open. "Over the last few hours we approved operational plans for both offensive and defensive action," he told reporters on Sunday.
What are the issues Israel needs to consider before it responds to Iran?
This story is from the April 16, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the April 16, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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