Netanyahu Under Pressure Over Iran Attack As Allies Urge Caution

Jerusalem, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Apr, 2024) All eyes are on Israel after Iran's unprecedented attack, but its war cabinet has not signalled any preference for the course to follow, while allies who helped thwart the strike call for caution.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, less vocal than usual, has yet to define any shape, form, or timing for a response to the first direct Iranian attack on Israeli soil.

It came in the form of over 300 drones and missiles launched from Iran on Saturday in response to an April 1 strike on the Islamic republic's consulate in Damascus, largely attributed to Israel.

Faced with allies urging caution on one side, and some politicians at home calling for a hard response on the other, Netanyahu has met with his war cabinet twice, and called US President Joe Biden.

But he has not spoken publicly of the matter since Sunday, when he praised the Israeli defence in a short post on X.

Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi on Monday told soldiers Iran's attack would be "met with a response", but did not specify the timing or type.

"There has been a lot of pressure over the last 48 hours on the Israeli government to respond due to the fact that it was a very unprecedented attack," Iran researcher at Tel Aviv University Raz Zimmt told AFP.

"I'm not sure the Israeli government can avoid a certain immediate reaction, even if it doesn't want to be engaged in a full-scale confrontation," he added.

Zimmt said he would prefer to see "some covert activity without Israel taking responsibility for that in Iran".

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir expressed the need for a hard response on the night of the Iranian launches.

"Impressive defence until now -- now there must be a crushing attack," the far-right minister said on X.