Israel Confirms it Will Respond to Iranian Attack, but Divided Over When and How

After three hours of discussion on Sunday, Israel’s war cabinet did not reach a decision on how the country would respond to Iran’s missile and drone bombardment Saturday night. The Prime Minister’s Office confirms that there will be a response, but the IDF needs to present multiple options. According to Reuters news agency, the entire war cabinet agrees there should be a response …but division lies in when the response will be and the scale of it. US President Biden does not veto an Israeli response, although he warns to be cautious and strategic. 

The US wants to know the details of the response in advance, but makes it clear they will not participate. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz spoke with British Foreign Minister David Cameron and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné to thank them for their support during Iran’s attack. He says, quote, “I told them–it’s your time to weaken the Iranian regime, to proscribe the IRGC as a terrorist organization, and to impose crippling sanctions on the Iranian missile project. Iran must pay a price.”. The Israeli Foreign Ministry in a statement to the press said “This attack proves once again what Israel has been saying for years: Iran is the one behind the terrorist attacks in the region, and is also the greatest threat to regional stability and world order.”