Israel said to have delayed Iran strike after US intel leak of attack plans

Story by ToI Staff • 10h

srael has been forced to delay a potential retaliatory attack on Iran after details of the planning were leaked from the US, Britain’s The Times newspaper reported Thursday.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday told pilots and air crews that “after we strike in Iran, everyone will understand what you did in the preparation and training process.”Visiting the Hatzerim air force base, Gallant said, “Everyone who dreamed a year ago of beating us and attacking us paid a heavy price and are no longer in that dream.”

Iran said the missile assault came in response to strikes in Lebanon that killed the top leadership of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group and a July blast in Tehran that killed Hamas politburo head, Ismail Haniyeh. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the killing of the latter. 

Israel has held several major drills simulating long-range strikes on Iran over the years in preparation for a possible confrontation with Tehran.Netanyahu told US President Joe Biden earlier this month that Israel’s retaliation will not include strikes on non-military sites.Israel had previously been thought to be mulling attacks on Iranian oil infrastructure or nuclear sites, both opposed by the US for their potential to escalate fighting, including Iranian reprisals aimed at civilian infrastructure in Israel or other regional states aligned with the West.However, Israel has signaled that its expected retaliation for the missile barrage could be widened as a result of a Hezbollah drone attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private home in Caesarea on Saturday, which the premier has referred to as an attempted assassination by “agents of Iran.”The post Israel said to have delayed Iran strike after US intel leak of attack plans appeared first on The Times of