Tel Aviv
The Israeli government said on Tuesday (Oct 15) that it would consider the United States (US) opinion on Iran but would act against an Iranian missile attack based on its "national interests," the news agency AFP reported.
Earlier, US President Joe Biden had cautioned Israel against striking Iran's nuclear or oil facilities to avoid a further regional escalation and amid concerns over global energy prices.
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On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said, "We listen to the opinions of the United States, but we will make our final decisions based on our national interest."
A previous message to Washington
The remarks of Netanyahu's office came after he told the Joe Biden-led US administration that he was willing to strike military rather than oil or nuclear facilities in Iran, the Washington Post reported on Monday citing sources.
The retaliatory action would be calibrated to avoid the perception of “political interference in the US elections,” a source familiar with the matter told The Washington Post signaling Netanyahu’s understanding that the scope of the Israeli strike has the potential to reshape the American presidential race.
Iran's massive missile attack on Israel
On October 1, Iran launched about 200 missiles at Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike in Beirut that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian general Abbas Nilforoushan.
Since then, Israel has vowed to retaliate, with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant saying the response would be "deadly, precise, and surprising."
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Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said last week that Tehran would not hesitate to take "strong defensive actions" if Israel retaliated for the October 1 missile attack.
Iran is "fully prepared to take stronger defensive actions, if necessary, in response to any further aggression, and will not hesitate to do so," Araqchi said in a letter to other foreign ministers, according to a ministry post on X.
Araqchi said in his letter that Iran’s missile attack on Israel had been by its right to self-defence under international law and followed much restraint as it sought a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
(With inputs from agencies)