Any retaliatory action to Iran’s barrage of 180+ ballistic missiles at the Jewish State will be driven solely by Israel’s national security needs, according to a statement released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office overnight Monday.

“We listen to the American government’s thoughts, but will make our final decisions based on Israel’s national security needs,” the statement read, addressing reports of U.S. involvement in discussions about Israel’s response.

The statement came following a report by The Washington Post, which suggested that Netanyahu had informed U.S. President Joe Biden that Israel’s retaliatory strike on Iran would focus on military sites rather than oil or nuclear installations. This more limited approach, according to the report, aims to avoid escalating tensions ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential election on November 5.

A U.S. official and another individual familiar with the call between Biden and Netanyahu last week stated that the decision to avoid oil and nuclear targets is partially linked to Washington’s recent deployment of the THAAD advanced aerial defense system to Israel, which is intended to defend against potential Iranian retaliation.

While the Israeli strike is expected to occur before the U.S. elections, officials stressed that no final decision has been made on the exact nature or timing of the response. “It will be one in a series of responses,” one official familiar with the matter noted.

Israeli targets are expected to include Iranian military and energy infrastructure, but not nuclear facilities or high-profile assassinations, according to NBC News. Despite the ongoing discussions, Israel has not yet confirmed any specific plans.

The need for a decisive Israeli response follows Iran’s October 1 missile attack, during which over 180 ballistic missiles were fired at Israel. Israeli forces, with the assistance of the U.S. and Jordan, intercepted the majority of the missiles. The sole casualty was a Palestinian man in Yericho who was struck by missile debris. The attack resulted in significant property damage, with initial estimates from the Israel Tax Authority totaling between 150 million and 200 million shekels ($40 million to $53 million).

Since the attack, around 2,500 claims have been submitted to the Israeli government for damages, including over 2,200 reports of damage to buildings and 300 claims involving vehicles.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant underscored the gravity of Israel’s impending response, saying last week that the strike “will be powerful, precise, and above all—surprising,” adding that the Iranian regime “will not understand what happened and how it happened.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)