Is Iran attacking Israel today?

Is Iran attacking Israel today? The covert conflict between Iran and Israel has been revealed. What unfolds next?

Iran’s unexpected assault on Israel early Sunday signals a departure in Tehran’s tactics, moving away from its previous reliance on proxies throughout the Middle East. Now, all eyes are on Israel’s potential military response, while Washington looks toward diplomatic avenues to defuse regional tensions.

Is Iran attacking Israel today?

Iran alleges the attack was in retaliation for an airstrike, widely attributed to Israel, which destroyed what Tehran claims were consular offices in Syria and resulted in the deaths of two Revolutionary Guard generals earlier this month.

Israel asserts that its anti-missile defense system, bolstered by support from the U.S. and Britain, successfully intercepted almost all of the over 300 drones and missiles launched by Iran overnight. The sole reported casualty was a girl wounded in southern Israel, and while a missile did strike an Israeli airbase, causing minor damage.

Mona Yacoubian, vice president of the Middle East and North Africa center at the U.S. Institute of Peace, highlighted that Iran has delicately balanced between publicly retaliating for the strike in Damascus and avoiding escalating Israeli military action, at least for now. This cautious approach aims to prevent a broader conflict. Yacoubian mentioned that both Iran and Israel can claim some form of victory without further escalation, especially since no Israeli civilians were killed in the exchange.

However, the outcome of an Israeli War Cabinet meeting on Sunday remained pending. While some Israeli hard-liners advocated for a strong response, others suggested exercising restraint, emphasizing the importance of nurturing relationships with Arab partners instead.

Benny Gantz, a member of the War Cabinet, emphasized the intention to form a regional coalition and hold Iran accountable, but the timing and method of retaliation would be determined according to Israel’s discretion.

Is Iran attacking Israel today? According to analysts, Iran’s recent actions serve as a warning, indicating its readiness to escalate and alter the rules of engagement in its clandestine conflict with Israel.

Magnus Ranstorp, a strategic adviser at the Swedish Defense University, described it as a “warning shot,” suggesting that Iran is signaling the potential consequences if Israel violates certain boundaries.

The attack by Iran has heightened concerns about the broader impact of the conflict in Gaza on the region. Despite this, Iran asserts that it does not seek a full-scale war across the region. Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian stated on X, formerly Twitter, that Iran currently has no intention of continuing defensive operations unless provoked.

Iran emphasized that its targets were Israeli facilities linked to the Damascus attack, not civilian or economic areas.

After Israel initiated its offensive in Gaza against Hamas, various Iran-backed groups engaged in military activities while Tehran remained inactive. Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel, Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted Western vessels in the Red Sea, and an alliance of Iran-backed Iraqi militias attacked U.S. military positions in Iraq and Syria.

Now, according to Maha Yahya, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center, Tehran is prepared to escalate tensions without relying solely on proxy forces.

However, Iran’s actions were calculated. Maha Yahya noted that Iran provided sufficient warning of its intentions, likely anticipating that its drones and missiles would be intercepted before reaching Israeli territory.

Yahya also observed a shift in focus from mounting pressure on Israel over its actions in Gaza to the urgent need to deescalate regional tensions.

According to Mona Yacoubian, Washington plays a crucial role in preventing further escalation.

Eldad Shavit, head of the Israel-U.S. Research Program at the Institute for National Security Studies, suggested that further Israeli military action seems unpopular among its allies, including the United States.

Is Iran attacking Israel today? White House national security spokesman John Kirby stated that President Joe Biden aims to avoid escalation in the regional conflict or a broader war with Iran, focusing instead on diplomatic efforts.

Urgent meetings of the G7 and the U.N. Security Council were convened on Sunday to address the situation.

The countries in the G7 meeting all agreed that they strongly disapprove of Iran’s attack. They said they’re ready to take more actions now and in the future if Iran does anything else to make the situation worse.