Israeli Officials Downplay Strike on Iranian Target in Syria, Keeping Washington in the Dark Until Last Minute.
Israel only alerted the United States moments before an airstrike on April 1 targeted Iran's embassy complex in Syria, resulting in the deaths of several senior Iranian commanders.
This abrupt action caught Israel's closest ally off guard.
Upon realizing the potential gravity of the situation, aides promptly informed President Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, as well as his deputy, national security adviser Jon Finer, and Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk, among others, according to a U.S. official. While publicly supporting Israel, U.S. officials privately expressed dismay that such an aggressive strike against Iran was carried out without prior consultation with Washington.
ANB
Following the attack, numerous American officials engaged in high-level discussions, with many believing that Israel had made a grave miscalculation by underestimating Iran's potential for aggressive retaliation. This sentiment was echoed by a senior Israeli official. Iran's response on Saturday involved approximately 300 drones and missiles, causing relatively minor damage but highlighting the significant scale of the retaliation.
These events underscored how the longstanding tension between Iran and Israel has significantly altered the unwritten rules of engagement in recent months. This shift has made it increasingly challenging for both sides to anticipate each other's intentions and responses accurately.
ANB
Since your last message discusses a complex geopolitical situation, I'd like to remind you that my knowledge is up to date only until January 2022.
Regarding the designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization, it's important to note that various countries and organizations have different perspectives on this matter, with some designating it as such while others do not. As of my last update, the United States, European Union, Israel, and several other countries classify Hamas as a terrorist organization due to its actions and ideology.
Almost anyone could declare victory in this scenario," remarked Ali Vaez, Director for Iran at the International Crisis Group. "The United States could assert successful deterrence of Iran and defense of Israel, while Iran could claim retribution, and Israel could declare repulsion of the Iranian assault."
However, Mr. Vaez cautioned, "The situation could quickly escalate if we enter another cycle of retaliation, not only affecting Iran and Israel but also the broader region and the global community.
This account of these tense weeks is gleaned from interviews with U.S. officials, as well as officials from Israel, Iran and other Middle Eastern states. All of them spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters they were not authorized to reveal publicly.
According to two Israeli sources, preparations for the strike in Syria commenced two months prior. The intended target was Muhammad Reza Zahedi, commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, responsible for Syria and Lebanon within the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Internal Israeli defense records detailing the strike preparations were obtained by The New York Times. These records indicate that the operation received approval from the Israeli war cabinet approximately a week before, on March 22. The Israeli military has refrained from commenting on the internal assessment...Read More:
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