Israel
Concern in the US for Israel's response: Three men decide
John Edgar
Updated 10.12 | Published 06.11
The attack on Israel last night shook the world.
Now everyone is waiting for the answer.
Three men have been given the responsibility to decide it.
Quick version
Iran had just announced that it had sent scores of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles into Israeli airspace when speculation about Israel's response began to rain.
Many fear an escalation that could degenerate into full-scale war in the region.
Israel's leadership had a meeting last night both in the war cabinet and in the larger security cabinet.
Trio decides the answer
The latter announced after 03:00 last night that it had given the War Cabinet the authority to decide the response to the attack that shook the world, writes CNN.
The three-man war cabinet consists of three people: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Deputy Prime Minister Benny Gantz.
Many of Israel's allies in the West condemned Iran's attack in strong terms - but also appealed to Israel not to increase tensions in the already highly unstable situation in the region.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a conversation with Yoav Gallant, requested that Israel notify in advance of possible responses it has in mind after the attack from Iran.
US concerns
In the call, Gallant outlined Israel's overnight defensive operations to stop incoming drones and robots. He stated that Israel is ready if the country is attacked again.
Sources within the US defense headquarters, the Pentagon, told NBC News last night that there is concern that Israel is deciding on a quick response without thinking about the consequences.
There is great frustration over the attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 1st - which led to the Iranian retaliation last night.
Several generals in the Quds Force, Iran's Revolutionary Guard's special forces, were killed in the bombing.
"Lack of strategy"
In the Pentagon, it is believed that the Israeli leadership did not consider how the bomb attack in Damascus could affect the ongoing negotiations regarding the people who are still being held hostage by Hamas.
- I don't think they had a strategy. The Israelis don't always make the best strategic decisions, a Pentagon source told NBC News.
According to three people in the White House, President Biden has privately expressed concern that Netanyahu is trying to drag the United States deeper into a larger conflict in the region.
The Israeli Iron Dome anti-aircraft system fires counterfire at incoming objects over Jerusalem during the night to Sunday. Photo: Sam Mednick / AP
A source told the channel that the White House does not believe that Israel is seeking a direct war with Iran, especially given all the resources going into the war in Gaza, but that one cannot be sure.
At about 3:30 a.m., White House sources said President Biden, after his meetings with his National Security Council, was on the phone with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Israel requests UN meeting
The UN Security Council will hold a crisis meeting on Sunday due to Iran's attack on Israel, according to the country of the presidency, Malta.
The meeting is being held at Israel's request and is expected to begin at 6 p.m. Swedish time.
"The Iranian attack is a serious threat to global peace and security and I expect the Council to use all means to take concrete measures against Iran," Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan said in a statement on X.
Drone or missile fired at targets in northern Israel on Sunday night. Photo: Atef Safadi/EPA Via TT
Military base damaged
More than 200 drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles were sent into Israeli airspace last night.
The "vast majority were neutralized with some help from allies," Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said at a press conference in Tel Aviv last night.
At 03:00 a call to the population in some places in Israel to stay close to shelters was withdrawn.
The warning sirens that rang out over Israel earlier had then also fallen silent.
According to Hagari, the attack did not cause any major damage in Israel. A military base is said to have suffered some damage.
A ten-year-old girl is said to have been taken to hospital with shrapnel injuries she received in connection with being shot down by an incoming drone or robot.
US President Joe Biden and his team receive updates on the escalation of the conflict between Iran and Israel overnight Sunday. Photo: Adam Schultz/AP
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