Early Friday morning local time, Israel launched a limited attack on Iran, prompting a muted response from the Islamic Republic and criticism from a far-right Israeli official who said the attack did not go far enough.
Citing three Iranian officials, The New York Times reported that the Israeli attack struck a military air base near the city of Isfahan in central Iran.
The Israeli military declined to comment on the strike. The relative quiet suggests the two sides are seeking to avoid further escalation after Iran last weekend attacked Israel with a swarm of drones and missiles, itself a response to an earlier Israeli attack on its embassy in Syria.
While Benjamin Netanyahu ignored please from world leaders to not retaliate at all, it’s possible that Friday’s strike was far more restrained than the Israeli prime minister would have desired. Indeed, the response was criticized by some in the Israeli cabinet. Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right Israeli national security minister, described the attack using the Hebrew term “dardaleh,” which is “slang for weak, disappointing, or poor,” the Jerusalem Post reported.
The Biden administration had urged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to show restraint. On Friday, the U.S. distanced itself from the Israeli strike. While it’s fair to guess Netanyahu crossed their line, it’s also possible that this Israeli strike was far more “restrained” than Netanyahu would have wanted
“The United States has not been involved in any offensive operations,’ U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, the BBC reported. “The United States, along with our partners will continue to work for de-escalation.”