US expects “limited” Israeli response to Iran attack

The United States expects the Israeli response to Iran’s drone strikes will be limited in scope. This information comes from two sources – a senior administration official and a source familiar with the intelligence said.

Israel’s war cabinet is currently convening to discuss a potential response to Iran’s unprecedented weekend strikes, that saw more than 300 projectiles fired at its territory. This is the fifth time the war cabinet has met since Sunday. Israel is looking to balance international pressure with a show of restraint, while also trying to find the appropriate response to the attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must also heed calls for a strong reaction from his right-wing coalition, without risking further international isolation.

There is US intelligence that suggests Israel is considering a narrow and limited strike inside Iran, the second source said. Israel has not shared its plans and the timing with the US, according to the senior administration official. “There’s no guarantee they will give us a heads up and they know when they give us a head’s up, we’re likely to again register our objection to whatever they’re about to conduct,” he said.

He added that if Israel did not respond to Iran, the US is “confident that there will be de-escalation” and the status quo will be resumed. “But any additional move now opens up a series of other possibilities, some of which are quite frightening,” he warned.