U.S. officials expect Israel to retaliate against Iran before the November 5 U.S. election. Israel has already prepared a plan of response, sources told CNN, reports UNN.
Details
According to the sources, the timing and parameters of Israel's retaliatory measures against Iran have been the subject of intense debate within the Israeli government and are not directly related to the timing of the US elections.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom senior U.S. administration officials describe as deeply aware of American politics, seems to be very sensitive to any potential political repercussions of Israel's actions in the United States, they said.
The growing conflict in the Middle East has become a recurring issue in the American elections. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have faced pressure over their handling of the conflict. Meanwhile, Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, accuse the administration of failing to deal with the crisis.
In the run-up to the election, the administration has begun to put new pressure on Israel to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza. In a letter released this week, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned Israel that failure to deliver more aid to the enclave could result in a cutoff of military aid.
Addendum
Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have assured the United States that a retaliatory strike against Iran would be limited to military targets, not oil or nuclear facilities.
Recall
Iran fired dozens of rockets at Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and others. Netanyahu vowed that Iran would "pay" for the attack.