Israel Prepared to Attack Iran's Nuclear Facilities if Tehran Retaliates

According to 'Ilaaf News' based in London, if the Iranian government directly attacks Israel in response to last week's attack in Damascus, Israel will retaliate by targeting sites in Iran. This report cites an unnamed 'Western security official' and has been echoed by 'The Times of Israel,' claiming that Israel has recently conducted air force drills preparing to target Iran's nuclear facilities and other critical infrastructure. Both Damascus and Tehran hold Israel responsible for the attack last Monday, which killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including a senior commander of the Quds Force, but Israel has not commented on the matter. Yesterday, the Arabic-language media outlet 'Jade Iran' reported, citing an Arab diplomatic source, that the Iranian government has told the United States that it will refrain from responding to Israel's deadly attack on its consulate in Damascus if a ceasefire is established in Gaza. This media outlet reported on Sunday that the aforementioned source, who wished to remain anonymous, stated on Friday: 'If the U.S. manages to contain the situation, it will be a significant success for the Biden administration, and we can work based on that.' The publication of this news in 'Jade Iran' comes as the Iranian news agency ILNA reported that the Kuwaiti newspaper 'Al-Jarida' cited a source in the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday, stating that the U.S. is still trying to dissuade the Islamic Republic from responding to last week's Israeli attack. However, the White House's strategic communications coordinator dismissed reports from some Iranian media that the Islamic Republic conditioned its non-retaliation on a ceasefire. John Kirby said on Monday, April 20, in a conference call: 'I really have no opinion on the report that Iran claims. I will refrain from commenting and honestly say, if Iran wants a ceasefire in Gaza, it should use all means at its disposal to pressure Hamas to accept the agreement on the table.' He continued: 'If the Iranians really want this, we want to see them start to pressure Hamas. This is the best outcome for achieving a ceasefire.' He stated: 'We want a ceasefire that frees women, the injured, the sick, and the elderly, and this is really our focus. If they are serious and sincere about a ceasefire, they should use their influence over Hamas to push for a positive response to the proposal on the table.' This senior media official of the National Security Council of the White House commented on threats from Iranian officials regarding retaliation for the alleged Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus, saying: 'Iran has made very public threats against Israel, and one of the things President Biden said in his call with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, is that the Israeli government can count on U.S. support for any self-defense needs against direct Iranian threats to Israel.' Hours earlier, two sources familiar with U.S. security intelligence told CNN that an Iranian attack on Israel would likely be carried out by Iranian proxy forces in the region, rather than directly by Iran. According to these sources, Tehran is cautious about escalating conflicts and does not want to give the U.S. or its allies an excuse for a direct attack on Iran. The United States and its allies are prepared for a retaliatory response from the Islamic Republic to last week's Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which resulted in the deaths of several IRGC officials. Since the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7 and the subsequent Israeli attack on Gaza, Iran's allies have increased violence across the region, while the United States has increased its presence in the Middle East. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. CNN reported, citing U.S. intelligence sources: Iran's attack on Israel will likely be carried out by proxy forces in the region. Israel reported the destruction of a 'suspicious object' in the sky over Eilat; leaders of France, Egypt, and Jordan called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Amir-Abdollahian threatened Israel with 'punishment' after the inauguration of the new consular building of the Islamic Republic in Damascus. The U.S. State Department rejected Iranian media reports of a message from the Islamic Republic to Washington. The White House stated: If Iran wants a ceasefire in Gaza, it should pressure Hamas. The Times of Israel reported: Zahidi was a member of the 'Hezbollah Lebanon Council.'