Israel deliberates response as tensions with Iran escalate

Israel continues to "consider very carefully" its response to Iran's recent missile attack, CIA Director William Burns stated on Monday, as quoted by CNN.

During a conference on national security held in Sea Island, Georgia, William Burns addressed the tense situation in the Middle East. He emphasized that although neither Israel nor Iran is seeking full-scale war, the risk of unintended escalation of the conflict "is a very real threat."

"You can see the potential for inadvertent collisions, misunderstandings, actions that take on the life of their own," the CIA chief noted.

Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that he would not support an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. However, CNN reported that it is unclear whether the Biden administration has persuaded Israeli authorities to abandon the considered military operation.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Defence Minister emphasized in a Sunday interview with CNN that the response to Iranian aggression could take various forms. "Everything is on the table," he said, adding that Israel "has the capabilities to strike targets both near and far" and "will not sit idly by."

The missile attack took place on October 1, when nearly 200 ballistic missiles were launched from Iran toward Israel. Most of them were intercepted. Tehran announced that the attack was in response to the killing of leaders of Lebanese Hezbollah, Palestinian Hamas, and an Iranian general. The Jewish state announced retaliation.