Washington:
Israel has sworn it should retaliate for Iran’s missile barrage on Tuesday, which concerned greater than 180 ballistic missiles and was largely thwarted by Israel’s air protection programs. Beneath are some methods Israel, backed by america, may strike again.
Go After Iran’s Army Installations
Some analysts consider Israel is more than likely to reply by concentrating on Iranian navy installations, particularly people who produce ballistic missiles like those utilized in Tuesday’s assaults. It may additionally take out Iranian air protection programs and missile-launching services.
Washington has accused Tehran of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to be used in opposition to Ukraine. Each international locations deny that allegation.
Analysts mentioned that might be seen as essentially the most in-kind response to Iran’s assault.
Assault Iran’s Nuclear Services
Strikes in opposition to Iran’s nuclear services may delay Tehran’s capacity to supply a nuclear weapon. Iran’s nuclear program is unfold over many places, solely a few of that are constructed underground.
Nonetheless, a significant assault on its nuclear infrastructure would probably provoke critical penalties, probably together with a dash by Iran to construct a nuclear weapon. Washington has mentioned it might not assist such an motion by Israel.
Richard Hooker, a retired US Military officer who served within the US Nationwide Safety Council underneath Republican and Democratic presidents, mentioned it was a “distinct risk” that Israel may strike Iran’s nuclear services however not a chance “as a result of once you do one thing like that you simply put the Iranian management ready to do one thing fairly dramatic in response.”
The Islamic Republic denies ever having had a nuclear weapons program or planning to have one.
The UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, and the US intelligence group concluded that Iran pursued a coordinated nuclear weapons program till 2003, and specialists say that with the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal, it may produce sufficient weapons-grade uranium for a bomb in a matter of weeks.
Assault Iran’s Petroleum Manufacturing Infrastructure
Israel may additionally hit Iran’s petroleum business, which might harm its financial system. Such an assault may provoke Iran in flip to strike oil manufacturing services in Saudi Arabia and different Gulf Arab states. That would ship the worth of gasoline, all the time a significant US marketing campaign concern, hovering earlier than Individuals decide a brand new president and Congress within the November 5 elections.
“I am undecided that (a hike in world oil costs) would restrain the Israelis,” mentioned David Des Roches, a former Division of Protection official concerned in Gulf coverage now with the US Nationwide Protection College’s Close to East-South Asia Centre. Israel, he added, may view a hike in world oil costs as a profit for former President Donald Trump’s re-election marketing campaign.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lately has been extra aligned with Trump’s Republicans than with Democrats.
Financial, Cyber Choices
A navy response is taken into account the more than likely, however there are alternatives that don’t contain missile strikes or commando raids.
US President Joe Biden has mentioned he would impose extra sanctions on Iran. Washington’s sanctions on Iran already ban practically all US commerce with the nation, block its authorities’s belongings within the US and prohibit US overseas help and arms gross sales.
Analysts mentioned Israel may additionally use its cyber warfare skills to answer the Iranian strikes.
Israel’s current mass pager assault in opposition to Hezbollah in Lebanon turned the highlight on its secretive Unit 8200, the Israel Protection Forces’ specialist cyber warfare and intelligence unit, which Western safety sources mentioned was concerned in planning the operation.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)