Israel says ‘national interests’ will dictate retaliation against Iran

PM Netanyahu’s office says it will consider US ‘opinions’, but Israel will make its own decision in attacking Iran.

Israel will take into account the “opinions” of the United States but will ultimately act against an Iranian missile attack according to its own “national interests”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said.

Iran launched about 200 missiles at Israel on October 1 in retaliation for attacks that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Abbas Nilforoushan, as well as Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh earlier this year.

“We listen to the opinions of the United States, but we will make our final decisions based on our national interest,” Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday.

The statement followed news reports, quoting unnamed US officials, that Netanyahu told the White House any counterstrike would be limited to military sites, not nuclear or energy facilities, suggesting a more limited attack aimed at preventing a full-scale war.

The Wall Street Journal, quoting anonymous US officials, said the assurance was made in a call last week between Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden, as well as in conversations between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant.

The plan “was met with relief in Washington”, The Washington Post reported.

More than a year since the outbreak of war in Gaza, Israel has escalated its offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory, which has killed more than 42,000 people, while expanding its offensive in Lebanon.

Biden has said he would not support an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, which could trigger further escalation and draw the US into the conflict.

The Pentagon recently announced that the US is sending an advanced anti-missile system, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), to Israel as Biden’s administration continues to provide “ironclad” support for one of its top allies amid mounting tensions with Iran.

Israel pledged to retaliate for the Iranian missile attack, with Gallant saying the response would be “deadly, precise, and surprising”.

Oil markets have been on edge over the prospect of an Israeli strike against Iranian oilfields, as such an attack could drive up global energy prices.

Gulf states have lobbied the US to stop Israel from attacking Iran’s oil sites because they are concerned their oil facilities could come under fire from Tehran’s proxies if the conflict escalates.

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Al Jazeera and news agencies