Israel has vowed it will respond to Iran’s missile attack on Tuesday, which included more than 180 ballistic missiles and was largely deflected by Israel’s air defense systems. Below are some ways Israel, backed by the United States, could retaliate.
Go after Iran’s military installations
Some analysts believe Israel could respond by targeting Iranian military installations, particularly those that produce the ballistic missiles used in Tuesday’s attacks. It can also destroy Iranian air defense systems and missile-launch facilities.
Washington has accused Tehran of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine. Both countries deny that allegation.
Analysts say that this will be seen as the biggest response to Iran’s attack.
Attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities
Attacks against Iran’s nuclear facilities could delay Tehran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons. Iran’s nuclear program is spread across many sites, only a few of which remain underground.
However, a major attack on its nuclear infrastructure could have serious consequences, including potentially Iran attempting to build a nuclear weapon. Washington has said that it will not support any such action by Israel.
Richard Hooker, a retired US Army officer who served on the US National Security Council under Republican and Democratic presidents, said it was a “distinct possibility” that Israel could attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, but unlikely. is “because that’s how you do it when you do something.” “Put the Iranian leadership in a position to do something dramatic in response.”
The Islamic Republic denies that it ever had or planned to have a nuclear weapons program.
The UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, and the US intelligence community concluded that Iran ran a coordinated nuclear weapons program by 2003, and experts say that with the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal, it could no longer produce enough weapons-grade weapons for a bomb. Can produce uranium. It’s a matter of a few weeks.
Attack on Iran’s petroleum production infrastructure
Israel could also attack Iran’s petroleum industry, which would damage its economy. Such an attack could provoke Iran to attack oil production facilities in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states. That could send fuel prices, always a major U.S. campaign issue, higher before Americans choose a new president and Congress in the Nov. 5 elections.
“I’m not sure (rising world oil prices) will deter the Israelis,” said David Des Roches, a former Defense Department official now involved in Gulf policy with the Near East-South Asia Center at the US National Defense University. Israel may see rising world oil prices as an advantage for former President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign, he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently aligned more with Trump’s Republicans than with his Democrats.
economic, cyber options
A military response is considered the most likely, but there are also options that do not involve missile strikes or commando raids.
US President Joe Biden has said that he will impose more sanctions on Iran. Washington’s sanctions on Iran already ban nearly all US trade with the country, block its government’s assets in the US and freeze US foreign aid and arms sales.
Analysts said Israel could also use its cyber warfare capabilities to respond to Iranian attacks.
Israel’s recent large-scale attack against Hezbollah in Lebanon has focused attention on its covert Unit 8200, the Israel Defense Forces’ specialist cyber warfare and intelligence unit, which Western security sources said was involved in planning the operation. Was.
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