Eyes on Israel –

BEIRUT (AP) — Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel Saturday night represented a shift in approach by Tehran, which had relied on henchmen across the Middle East since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October.

All eyes are now on whether Israel decides to take further military action, while Washington seeks diplomatic measures to ease tensions in the region.

Iran claimed the attack was in response to an airstrike widely attributed to Israel that destroyed Iranian consular offices in Syria and killed two Iranian generals earlier this month.

Israel reported that almost all of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched overnight by Iran were shot down by its missile defense system, backed by the United States and the United Kingdom.

The only reported casualty was a wounded girl in southern Israel and a missile hit an Israeli air base, causing minor damage. Still, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard called the operation successful.

Iran has struck a balance between publicly retaliating for the attack in Damascus and avoiding further Israeli military action that would lead to a much larger conflict, according to Mona Yacoubian, vice president of the Center for the Middle East and North Africa at the Institute of Peace. USA.

“At this moment, both (Iran and Israel) can claim victory and move away from the precipice, especially since no Israeli civilians were killed,” said the specialist.

However, the world was still awaiting the outcome of an Israeli War Cabinet meeting held yesterday. Israeli hardliners are pressing for a response.

But others suggest moderation and believe Israel should focus on strengthening budding ties with its Arab partners.

“We will build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran, in the form and at the time that suits us,” said Benny Gantz, a member of the War Cabinet.

Analysts say Iran has sent a message that it is willing to escalate and change its rules of engagement in its shadow war with Israel.

“It is a warning shot, making it clear that if Israel violates the rules, there will be consequences,” emphasized Magnus Ranstorp, strategic advisor at the Swedish Defense University.

Iran’s attack further stoked fears that the war in Gaza would wreak regional havoc. But Iran maintains that it is not seeking an all-out war in the region.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian indicated in a post on X that Iran “has no intention of continuing defensive operations” at this time unless attacked.

Tehran emphasized that its target was Israeli facilities involved in the attack on Damascus, not civilians or “economic areas.”

After Israel began its offensive in Gaza against Hamas, Iranian-backed groups became involved militarily while Tehran stood by.

The Lebanese group Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked Western ships in the Red Sea.

A group of Iraqi militias backed by Iran attacked US military positions in Iraq and Syria.

Now, Tehran is “willing to up the ante” without depending on henchmen, said the director of the Carnegie Middle East Center, Maha Yahya.

Still, Iran only went so far.

“They gave enough warning that this was going to happen, and I think they knew that they (the drones and missiles) would be shot down before they reached Israeli territory,” Maha Yahya said.

He added that recent mounting pressure on Israel over its Gaza offensive has now focused on reducing regional tensions.

Israel taking more military action does not seem to please its allies, including the United States, said Eldad Shavit, who directs the Israel-US Research Program at the Institute for National Security Studies, an Israeli think tank.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby told NBC that President Joe Biden does not want the conflict to escalate regionally or a “broader war” with Iran, and that “he personally works on the diplomatic aspect of this.”

Yesterday there were urgent meetings of the G7 – the informal meeting of the seven most industrialized countries that includes the United States, the United Kingdom and France – and the United Nations Security Council.