ISW: Iran seeks to retaliate against Israeli targets

An official in Ebrahim Raisi’s Presidential office claimed that Iran has warned the United States to “step aside, so you don’t get hit,” suggesting that Iran seeks to retaliate against Israeli targets, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said, Report informs.

According to the Institute, western media has similarly suggested that Iran will target Israel directly, moreover: “An unnamed US, Israeli, and other unspecified Western officials told the Washington Post that they expected Iran to retaliate with drones or missile attacks on Israeli targets that would be ”calibrated to avoid an even bigger response from Israel.” CBS separately reported that US intelligence indicates that Iran’s response will include ”a swarm of Shahed loitering drones and cruise missiles,” likely before the end of Ramadan on April 10.”

Israel has reportedly evacuated several of its diplomatic facilities around the region in anticipation of a possible Iranian retaliation, although the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry has denied such reports.

Tehran is also signaling that it wants to avoid involving the United States in its retaliation against Israel.