Monday, April 14, 2024 – Israel today threatened airstrikes on Iran in retaliation for a 350-missile attack amid fears the conflict will blow into all-out war in the Middle East.
IDF spokesman Peter Lerner on Monday morning confirmed that there would be retaliation from Israel, stating that this could involve 'a strike or no strike.'
The Israeli government will 'decide on the steps forward' as early as today or within the coming days, Lerner told reporters.
Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones last Saturday in response to a drone strike in Syria that killed 12 Iranians, including two top generals.
After the attack, Israel said it intercepted 99 percent of the hundreds of missiles and drones fired by Iran. They were shot down without causing any significant damage.
'Just because we were successful in intercepting, we shouldn't underestimate what Iran did,' Lerner said. 'We can't take that lightly.'
US forces assisted Israel in shooting down dozens of drones and missiles fired by Iran, in what was the first time it had launched a direct military assault on Israel.
In another development, US President Joe Biden is facing mounting pressure to contain the crisis, with defense experts claiming he has allowed the conflict in Gaza to spread.
Biden is privately fearing a potentially 'catastrophic escalation' as the Israeli government plans its next move, Pentagon officials told NBC News.
Senior Pentagon officials told the outlet last night that they worry an Israeli response to the attacks would be 'frenetic.'
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