A retaliatory strike by Israel against Iran could come as early as this weekend, with the list of potential targets apparently narrowed down to military and energy infrastructure, NBC News reported on Saturday, citing anonymous US and Israeli officials.
Israel has yet to make a final decision on whether to hit Iran’s nuclear facilities or to conduct targeted assassinations, but so far there is “no indication” that West Jerusalem would go that far, US officials believe, according to the channel.
The Middle East is on the brink of full-scale war after Tehran launched a missile barrage against Israel on October 1, reportedly in reprisal for the killings of the heads of Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as a general of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran claims to have targeted only military facilities, with no Israeli civilian casualties reported. The only reported fatality was a Palestinian man who was apparently hit by missile debris.
Israel’s response to the Iranian missile attack will be “deadly, pinpoint accurate, and surprising,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said earlier this week.
Other Israeli officials have advocated for devastating retaliatory strikes, including on Iran’s nuclear facilities, while the US aims to keep the response limited to avoid a broader conflict that could spread across the region.
Iran is fully prepared to defend itself and retaliate against any potential attack by Israel, a source in Tehran familiar with the matter told RT on Thursday, insisting that the response would be “proportionate.” Should West Jerusalem target Iran’s oil infrastructure, Tehran will respond by striking Israel’s oil refineries. Attacks on other infrastructure, such as power plants or nuclear facilities, will likewise prompt retaliatory strikes on corresponding installations in Israel.
Tehran warned West Jerusalem against taking any disproportionate escalatory steps. If the Israeli attack harms civilians, Tehran may revise its nuclear doctrine, the source told RT, without elaborating.