NBC: Israel's Response to Islamic Republic's Attack Likely 'Imminent'

While Israel is considering its next steps following a cabinet meeting on Monday, a source told NBC that Israel's response to the Iranian government's retaliatory attack may be 'imminent.' Meanwhile, four American officials also told NBC that the United States believes Israel's response to the unprecedented attack by the Islamic Republic early Sunday morning is likely to be 'limited and may focus on attacks on key targets outside of Iran.' These officials noted that the U.S. assessment is based on discussions with Israeli officials prior to the attack and that Israel's approach may have changed since then. They say the lack of serious damage from Tehran's attack may lead Jerusalem to seek a more limited aggressive response. Instead of a direct attack on Iran in retaliation—which Israel's allies have warned could risk dragging the region into a full-scale war—officials say Israel may target Iranian proxy forces, such as its militias in Syria or the Hezbollah group in Lebanon. The officials add that the U.S. expects Israel to provide information about its decisions but does not intend to participate in any retaliatory response. An unverified report from Israel's Channel 12 on Monday claimed that Israel's war cabinet has decided to respond 'clearly and forcefully' against Iran and send the message that Israel 'will not allow an attack of this magnitude against itself to go unanswered.' However, the Channel 12 report added that Israel does not want its response to escalate into a regional war or to disrupt the coalition that has helped the country defend against the Islamic Republic's attack. The report also noted that Israel intends to coordinate its actions with the United States. China says the Iranian government can 'manage the situation' and prevent further tensions. The Times of Israel: Hamas rejected each clause of the ceasefire and hostage release proposal. Joe Biden reiterated in a meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister: the U.S. is committed to Israel's security. Concurrently, with the suspension of agency inspectors' activities, Grossi expressed concern over attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities. A report from Voice of America: Iraqis are worried about Israel's retaliatory attacks. An Israeli media outlet: Israel will respond 'clearly and forcefully' to the Iranian government's attack; NBC: Israel's response may be 'imminent.'