With great anticipation of a possible Israeli strike on Iran, in response to the attack launched by Tehran last Tuesday on Tel Aviv with about 200 missiles, discussions continue in Israel at the very least regarding possible targets.
The Associated Press says in a report, on Tuesday, that “Israel’s options (in response to Iran) are multiple, between directing symbolic strikes on military targets, or launching devastating attacks on Iran’s vital oil sector or on its highly fortified secret nuclear program.”
Although there is great support for a response to Iran, there is a difference of opinion regarding which targets should be targeted: oil, nuclear, or other sites, especially since US President Joe Biden confirmed last week that he does not support targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.
The Associated Press interviewed two former Israeli prime ministers and spoke to them about Israel’s expected options in response. Although they agreed on the need to respond, they disagreed on the goals.
Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who served as prime minister between 2006-2009, said: “The question is not whether Israel will retaliate or respond, but rather the question is how.”
Axios, citing four American officials, reported that the US administration is increasingly concerned about Israeli military plans in the Middle East, and although it does not oppose striking Iran, it demands that Israel be more transparent and that the response be balanced.
Iran threatens the Gulf states with “retaliation” if they allow Israel to use its airspace to launch attacks
A senior Iranian official said on Tuesday that Tehran had informed the Gulf states that it would be “unacceptable” to allow its airspace to be used against his country, and that any such move would require a response, amid fears of a possible Israeli response to the missile attack launched by Iran last week. the past.
Olmert believes that Israel “is capable of dealing with these challenges. We have the capabilities. I am not sure that it is wise and responsible for us to reveal them,” referring to the expected strike.
Netanyahu’s predecessor believes that a strike on multiple military targets, spread across the vast Iranian territory, would be “more than enough to send a message. The goal is to show that Israel is capable of striking anywhere, at any time.”
In contrast, another former prime minister, Yair Lapid, argues that Israel should “strike the infrastructure of the Iranian oil industry.”
For Olmert, “strikes on the Iranian oil sector would be an unnecessary escalation that requires a response.”
But Lapid, who served as prime minister in 2022, describes targeting Iran’s oil sector as “the most painful target for the Iranian regime.”
On Sunday, the Iranian Oil Ministry’s online news website, Shana, reported that Minister Mohsen Paknejad arrived on Kharg Island, amid fears that Israel would target the oil port there, which is the largest in Iran.
Lapid is leaning towards a strong Israeli response. “Iran must understand that there is a high price for its regional aggression,” he says.
Report: Israel did not provide guarantees to Washington that it would not target Iranian nuclear facilities
A senior US State Department official explained in exclusive statements to CNN that Israel did not provide guarantees to the White House regarding not targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, in response to the ballistic missile strikes launched by Tehran on October 1.
Regarding calls to target Iranian nuclear sites, Olmert said, “Striking the nuclear program is not worth the risk. Not only will it provoke an Iranian response, but the chances of success are uncertain. Trying to attack the nuclear program would be a mistake.”
Former US Assistant Secretary of State, Mark Kimmitt, believes that there are four types of Iranian targets that Israel is focusing on. He added in an exclusive interview with Al-Hurra TV on Monday that nuclear facilities represent a major target, “even though they are full of risks.” He added that targeting it could cause serious repercussions on regional and international security levels.
Olmert expressed his hope that “calm minds will prevail” and said: “What do we want to achieve, how far do we want to go, and how arrogant do we want to be?”
“My advice is, try to be smart,” Olmert says.
