Israel hasn't clarified its intention of targeting Iran's nuclear facilities in retaliation for the Iranian ballistic missile strikes earlier this week on Tuesday. It is as ambiguous as it could be. It is "really hard to tell" if Israel will use the anniversary of Hamas' October 7 attacks to retaliate, a top US State Department official told CNN on Friday.
"We hope and expect to see some wisdom as well as strength, but as you guys know, no guarantees," the official said when asked by CNN if Israel has assured the US that Iran's nuclear sites are off the table.
"I think in some ways they would want to avoid the seventh, so in my estimation, if there is anything it would likely be before or after," the senior State Department official said.
Iran launched a barrage of 181 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday night, triggering nationwide air raid sirens and forcing nearly 10 million Israelis into bomb shelters. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the missile assault, targeting three Israeli military bases near Tel Aviv.
Although a majority of missiles were intercepted, there were scattered reports of damage and injuries. In Tel Aviv, two civilians were lightly injured by shrapnel, while in the West Bank city of Jericho, a Palestinian civilian was killed by debris from one of the missiles, news agency AFP reported. The Israeli military quickly announced that the immediate threat had passed, and civilians were allowed to leave bomb shelters after an hour.
US officials have voiced support for Israel and its response to Iran's missile attack earlier this week. "Israel has a right to defend itself, as any nation does. In terms of what Israel's response will be, of course, there must be consequences for Iran for this attack. We've made clear that there must be consequences," said Matthew Miller, Spokesperson, US Department of State, during a press briefing.
President Joe Biden opposed Israel's idea of targeting Iran's nuclear facilities.
"If I were in their shoes, I'd be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields," Biden said at a press briefing Friday.
