Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said on Tuesday night following Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel that the IDF would respond with “precise and surprising offensive capabilities.”

The Islamic Republic fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at the Jewish state on Tuesday evening, forcing Israel’s entire civilian population of nearly 10 million people into bomb shelters.

A 37-year old Palestinian worker from Gaza was killed by shrapnel near Jericho, marking the only fatality during the onslaught.

“We have demonstrated our ability to prevent the enemy from achieving success, through the combination of exemplary civilian behavior and a very strong air defense system,” Halevi said at the conclusion of a situational assessment.

“We will choose when to exact the price and showcase our precise and surprising offensive capabilities, in accordance with the guidance of the political echelon,” he continued.

IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a briefing with foreign media that, “We will decide the manner of response—when, where, and how.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tehran in the aftermath of the attack that it “made a big mistake and will pay for it.” The premier also said at the start of a Security Cabinet meeting held in a secure bunker in Jerusalem that the strike on Israel “failed” and was “thwarted thanks to Israel’s air defense system, which is the most advanced in the world.”

“The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies. They will understand. We will stand by the rule we established: whoever attacks us, we will attack him,” Netanyahu continued.

Netanyahu also thanked the United States for helping to intercept the missiles fired from Iranian soil. Kan News reported that France, Jordan and other countries also worked to shoot down the missiles as part of a regional defense coalition.

Hagari said that “there were a small number of hits in the center of Israel and some other hits in southern Israel,” adding that “the majority” of the incoming missiles were intercepted by Israel and a defensive coalition led by the United States.

“Iran and its proxies have been attacking Israel since the 7th of October on seven fronts. Iran and its proxies seek the destruction of Israel. The Israel Defense Forces will continue doing everything necessary to defend the state of Israel and protect the people of Israel,” concluded Hagari.

 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised the attack as a “decisive response” to what he called Israeli “aggression.”

“In accordance with legitimate rights and with the aim of [establishing] peace and security in Iran and the region, a decisive response has been made to the Zionist regime’s aggression,” Pezeshkian posted on X.

Kan reported that after the Cabinet discussions, “Israel’s likely direction is to exact a heavy price from Iran, potentially through a strike on a strategic site such as oil facilities.”

“However, it is estimated that one of the considerations for decision-makers is the timing of the strike, allowing Israel to reposition its defenses in case of an additional Iranian response,” the report continued, adding that Netanyahu on Wednesday will convene another, smaller group for a security consultation.

Anti-missile system fires interception missiles as missiles fired from Iran, northern Israel, on Oct. 1, 2024. Photo by Ayal MArgolin/Flash90.

Israeli officials told Axios reporter Barak Ravid that Jerusalem will launch a “significant retaliation” within days that could target Iran’s oil production facilities and other strategic sites.

The Islamic Republic has threatened to respond to any Israeli attack, and the officials said that if that happens, then all options are on the table, including strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“We have a big question mark about how the Iranians are going to respond to an attack, but we take into consideration the possibility that they would go all in, which will be a whole different ball game,” an Israeli official said.

While bombing the oil facilities is under consideration, other options include targeted assassinations such as the one that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran this past summer and taking out Iran’s air defense systems, according to the Axios report.

Israel responded with restraint to Iran’s April drone and missile attack, striking a single S-300 air defense battery. However, Israeli officials said this time the response will be much more significant.

A senior official told Axios that a decision was not made at the Cabinet meeting because Jerusalem wants to consult with the Biden administration, as an Iranian response would again require a coordinated defense with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), more munitions for the Israeli Air Force and other operational support.

Halevi spoke by phone with CENTCOM Commander Gen. Erik Kurilla after the Iranian attack, the IDF said.

“The IDF and the U.S. military worked together in defense and cooperation several days before, during and after the Iranian attack,” the Israeli military said, adding that “the IDF will continue to deepen its relationship with the U.S. military, committed to strengthening regional stability and coordination between the armies.”

The U.S. president said on Tuesday that Washington and Jerusalem are discussing the response to the Iranian attack and that “it remains to be seen” what will happen.

A U.S. official told Axios that Washington supports an Israeli response, but that it should be measured. Biden said he will speak with Netanyahu regarding the Israeli response to the attack, with the call possibly taking place on Wednesday hours ahead of the start of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

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