TEL AVIV: An Israeli official on Saturday said that the military is “preparing a response” to the unprecedented Iranian missile barrage that targeted Israel earlier this week in retaliation to Israel’s killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders, AFP reported.
“The IDF (Israeli military) is preparing a significant response to the unprecedented Iranian attack on Israel,” the military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that the military’s response will be substantial. According to Haaretz, a leading left-leaning Israeli newspaper, the IDF is not ruling out further aggression from Iran and is preparing for a potential missile attack in retaliation for any Israeli counterstrike.
“The IDF is preparing for a significant strike in Iran following this week’s missile attack from Tehran,” Haaretz quoted a military source. “The military does not rule out the possibility that Iran may launch missiles at Israeli territory again after the Israeli attack,” the report added.
On October 1, Iran launched approximately 200 missiles at Israel, marking the second direct attack in less than six months. Some of the missiles were intercepted by Israel’s advanced aerial defence systems, while some struck military bases, causing damage.
Tehran has justified its missile offensive as retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on September 27. This incident has fueled regional tensions, especially given Nasrallah’s prominent role in Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Iran’s missile assault was also tied to the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the former political leader of Hamas, who was assassinated in Tehran on July 31. Both Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of orchestrating the killing, although Israeli authorities have remained silent on the matter.
The escalation between Israel and Iran comes amid broader regional instability. The Israeli military has long regarded Iran as its most significant adversary due to Tehran’s growing influence in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza.
Both Iran and its regional allies, including Hezbollah and Hamas, have vowed revenge for the deaths of their leaders, while Israel has vowed to maintain its security at all costs.
