The US must not obstruct necessary Israeli retaliation

The Islamic Republic of Iran has launched an unprecedented attack on Israel. It is now up to Israel to strike back and restore deterrence. Having overseen the collapse of American credibility in the region, Washington must not stand in the way of Jerusalem’s response.

On Saturday, the Islamic Republic fired hundreds of drones, rockets, and missiles at the Jewish state. Tehran’s assault marks a significant escalation. Previously, the Iranian regime has hidden behind its army of proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen, among others. A direct launch from Iran, particularly on this scale, is a noteworthy departure. 

The bombardment follows an alleged Israeli strike near a Damascus Consulate that killed top operatives of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), a designated terrorist entity. And it comes on the heels of more than six months of war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.