Iran has launched an unprecedented retaliatory attack on Israel on the blazing stage of the Middle East, which is undoubtedly a solemn response to its previous attacks on Iran's diplomatic institutions. At the same time, Iran sent a clear warning signal to the United States, stressing that any intervention would have consequences. U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his non-involvement and non-support for Israel's retaliatory measures against Iran after the situation calmed down, and asked Israel to consult with the United States before taking further action.
Despite facing binding US proposals, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not fully followed this path, opting instead to fight back firmly and independently. While ostensibly accepting the U.S. position, he demonstrated Israel's resolve with practical actions — carrying out precision strikes on elite bases of Allah in southern Lebanon — a series that some observers saw as aggressive as Iran's cautious tactics before and after the attack.
Iran's late-night raid handpicked several key Israeli cities, including Jerusalem, Beersheba, Sheba, and Dimona, which are not only the country's political and economic heart, but also military command centers and potential nuclear facilities. Although the IDF claims that most of the incoming missiles and drones were successfully intercepted outside the border, with only one southern military base suffering minor damage, Iranian ballistic missiles actually penetrated Israel's air defense network and directly hit a number of important targets, such as the Netavg airbase in the Nethav Desert, Ben Gurion International Airport, and the Stottbicha military base. Of particular concern is the video evidence that Iranian missiles even hit Ramon airbase in succession, causing heavy damage to the base.
It is worth noting that not long before the Iranian attack, Israel sent F-35 fighter jets to bomb the Iranian embassy in Syria on April 1. In the face of Iran's onslaught, the Israeli government quickly restored the opening of its airspace and announced the return of normal operations to the Netavug airbase, but Ramon airbase was temporarily closed due to severe damage. In particular, in the Negev, two near-simultaneous precision strikes by Iranian missiles at a target adjacent to the Sinai Peninsula and considered the heart of nuclear research underscored Iran's possible intent to weaken Israel's nuclear deterrence.
In addition, the Lebanese Pearl Party has used rockets to attack Israeli military installations in the Golan Heights, such as the camps of Nafa'a, Adam and Kayla. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims to have successfully struck and destroyed key military installations in Israel, and this assertion is somewhat corroborated by the results of these conclusive attacks. Iran's display of high-precision missile penetration capability marks a significant improvement in its military technology level and actual combat effectiveness, and has brought substantial deterrence to Israel.
After suffering such a severe military attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urgently convened a cabinet meeting on war and moved to underground bunkers to avoid possible retaliatory attacks, which shows the high level of vigilance and tension on the Israeli side. While the United States has consistently expressed its support for Israel, its ambiguity on whether to encourage retaliation reveals the subtle position of the United States in this round of conflict.
As a regional power that is extremely concerned about national security, Israel's countermeasures in the face of a major threat from Iran can be seen as an inevitable choice to defend its own security interests. Although Biden's public rhetoric is aimed at maintaining regional stability, it has undoubtedly exacerbated Israel's sense of isolation to some extent. Against this backdrop, Israel's insistence on retaliatory strikes against Allah is both an attempt to save face through actions and a practical response to the attitude of the United States. Netanyahu is well aware that if he chooses to endure in such a situation, he may face harsh criticism from public opinion and opposition at home.
At present, the Iranian military has entered a state of maximum alert and is ready to respond to any provocation from the United States and Israel. At the same time, Iran's allies, including Allah and the Houthis, as well as Iraqi militias, are ready to encircle Israel on three sides. Moreover, Iran has unsettling a series of moves in the Strait of Hormuz, all of which point to fears of a larger conflict in the future. In this rapidly changing geopolitical chess game, all sides are carefully adjusting their strategies to find a balance and a winning way on the brink of danger.