(Jerusalem) Israel considered quickly carrying out strikes in Iran in retaliation for the missiles launched by Tehran last weekend on its territory, but ultimately revised its plans, Israeli and American media said on the night of Wednesday to Thursday. .
According to Israeli public broadcaster Kan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided not to implement pre-approved plans for retaliatory strikes in the event of an attack, after discussions with US President Joe Biden.
“Diplomatic sensitivities played a role […] There will be a response, but it will be different from what was initially planned,” a senior official told the channel on condition of anonymity.
Israeli sources also requesting anonymity told the American site Axios that the war cabinet had juggled during a meeting on Monday, the second after the Iranian attack, with the idea of giving the green light to strikes, without however order them.
“We do not know why and how imminent an attack (against Iran) was,” a US official told Axios. According to this site, Israel indicated Monday to the Biden administration, which urges restraint, its decision to wait.
According to the American channel ABC, the Israeli government twice considered strikes against Iran without taking action.
PHOTO RONEN ZVULUN, REUTERS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu nevertheless reiterated on Wednesday his country’s right “to protect itself”, in the face of calls from the international community which is trying to prevent a response from Israel against Iran which would risk dragging the Middle East into a spiral of conflicts.
The United States, Israel’s staunch ally, said it did not want “an extended war with Iran” and maintained that it would not participate in an Israeli response, but announced Tuesday that it would impose new sanctions against Tehran.
Ditto for the European Union which decided on Wednesday to target Iran with sanctions against drone and missile producers in order to “send a clear message after the attack on Israel”, declared the President of the Council, Charles Michel.
During the night from Saturday to Sunday, Iran launched more than 350 drones and missiles towards Israel, almost all of which were destroyed before hitting Israeli territory. This was Iran’s first direct attack on Israel.
Tehran claimed to have acted in self-defense after a deadly strike against its consulate in Damascus on 1er April, which he attributed to Israel.