Israeli military chief says Iran's attack "will be met with a response"

Israel has announced to strike back against Iran's recent attacks on its strategic positions, which took place on April 13, in response to the deaths of key Iranian officials in the Damascus consulate air strike. 

Plans for a ground invasion of Rafah, the last refuge for Gaza’s genocide victims, have been temporarily shelved by Israel to prioritise responding to Iran's attack.

As the tension simmers between the archrivals, the war cabinet of Israel is actively discussing options for a potential military action against Iran which launched attacks against Israel in retaliation for the bombing of its consulate in Damascus. 

According to sources, the Israeli Air Force was set to drop leaflets in Rafah on Monday as Netanyahu’s government bent on the ground invasion of the city which it declared as a safe site for Gaza civilians. 

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) chief of staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi said later on Monday that Iran’s attack “will be met with a response,” while IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said the force will do “all that is necessary to defend Israel and will do that at the time we choose.”

In addition to exploring military options, Israel is actively seeking diplomatic support from its allies to isolate Iran on the international stage. 

However, several countries have cautioned against further escalation, urging for restraint in the conflict.

An Israeli official revealed that the war cabinet is mulling over military options, including a targeted attack on an Iranian facility aimed at conveying a message without resulting in casualties.

The Israeli air strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound on April 1, in Syria resulted in the deaths of seven members of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 

The strike prompted Tehran to launch its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory with more than 300 missiles and drones on April 13.