Pime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi held a confidential discussion on Sunday night at an Intelligence base. The focus was on a potential Israeli strike on Iran in retaliation for the missile attacks earlier this month.
This meeting, which included representatives from the IDF Intelligence Directorate, indicates that the decision on this critical matter will rest solely with these three top officials. Other members of the political-security cabinet will only be briefed on the broad outlines of the decision.
Before the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah last month, Netanyahu visited an intelligence base and received a detailed briefing from officers regarding the potential operation. Military sources suggest that this visit gave Netanyahu the confidence to approve the action and further operations against the Shiite terrorist organization.
Sunday's meeting is one of several discussions among the three, expected to make the decision, but it is considered the most significant so far. A source familiar with the details said that the three were aligned on the objectives and are likely to keep them from additional cabinet members to prevent any information leaks.
Iranian missile falls in Gedera
Following Iran's ballistic missile attack earlier this month, recent reports indicated that the Islamic Republic was on edge about a possible Israeli response and was working continuously to mitigate it. As far as Israel is concerned, reports from Iran are deemed credible.
On Sunday, the United States confirmed the deployment of a THAAD air defense system to the region to assist Israel in intercepting ballistic missiles. About 100 American soldiers would be sent to the area. This move reflects Washington's expectations of an imminent Israeli strike in Iran and a potential Iranian response, recognizing that Israeli defense systems cannot provide complete protection, as evidenced by the ballistic missile attack earlier this month.
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