The United States expects Israel to respond to Saturday’s aerial bombardment by the Islamic Republic in the immediate future, according to a report by NBC News.
Sources told the outlet that the Biden administration believes that the retaliation will be limited in nature and most likely involve bombings against Tehran’s proxy forces located outside of Iranian borders.
The assessment reportedly came from communications between Washington and the Jewish state while preparations were being made to defend against Saturday’s incident.
The report clarified that U.S. officials were unaware of Jerusalem’s final decision on what actions to take because there were no further discussions on the matter.
The incursion, where warning was said to have been provided by several of Iran’s neighbors, included the deployment of over 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and attack drones.
One 7-year-old child was injured because of falling shrapnel, while 99 percent of the projectiles were intercepted by the Israelis and several of their allies.
Multiple U.S. media providers have stated that the White House has been pressuring Israel’s government to show restraint while conducting any retaliatory measures over fears that military operations could destabilize the region already experiencing a six-month war in Gaza.
In a phone call shortly after the event, President Biden was reported to have told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. would offer no assistance in any counterstrikes against the regime in Iran.
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