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?
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin April 16, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin April 16, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Bayern mull shock reprieve for Tuchel as options tail off
Bayern Munich are prepared to perform a dramatic U-turn on Thomas Tuchel after encountering problems in their attempts to replace him.
Palmer's header leads Blues towards Europe
Perhaps Mauricio Pochettino is onto something after all? A fourth successive victory thanks to Cole Palmer's 27th goal of the season and another from substitute Christopher Nkunku was the latest indication that Chelsea's road to recovery is gathering pace despite a mindless late red card for captain Reece James.
Højlund comes off bench to settle see-saw battle
Manchester United are up to 57 points, the same as Newcastle United, who headed back to the north-east pondering precisely how they lost a toe-to-toe contest played out at breakneck speed.
Guardiola's nerves: 'I suffered from minute one'
Manchester City have come to embody clinical success, but emotion was everywhere during crucial win at Spurs
McIlroy returns to scene of last major win in form and untroubled by noise
World No 2 triumphed in Louisville in 2014 and goes into this year's tournament on the back of two victories
Raspberry Pi lifts London market with plans for UK flotation
The Cambridge-based technology company Raspberry Pi has confirmed its intention to float in the UK, in a significant boost to the London Stock Exchange.
Australia's richest woman calls on gallery to remove her portrait
The mining billionaire Gina Rinehart has demanded the National Gallery of Australia remove her portrait from an exhibition by the award-winning artist Vincent Namatjira.
Manhunt intensifies in France as officers killed in ambush named
Two French prison officers who were shot dead in an ambush that freed a convict linked to gangland drug killings were named yesterday, as police continued a massive hunt for the fugitive.
Georgia 'returning to the past', with anti-western law
Georgia is \"returning to the past\" through the new foreign agents law, the president of the former Soviet state said yesterday, as EU ministers urged the government to \"take a way out\".
Relations between Egypt and Israel worsen over Rafah
Israel and Egypt were embroiled in a diplomatic row over the Rafah border crossing yesterday amid warnings that Cairo could be planning to downgrade relations between the two countries.
