US, Israel brace for Iran retaliatory strikes

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members attend funeral for slain Iranian commanders

Tehran has vowed to punish Israel for an April 1 strike in Syria that killed Iranian commanders

(Image credit: Morteza Nikoubazl / NurPhoto via Getty Images)

published 12 April 2024

What happened

The top U.S. commander for the Middle East, Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, traveled to Israel on Thursday to coordinate Israel's defense against an expected attack from Iran as soon as this weekend. Tehran has vowed to punish Israel for an April 1 strike in Syria that killed senior Iranian commanders.

Who said what

"We have determined a simple rule: Whoever harms us, we will harm them," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that by attacking Tehran's Damascus consulate, "the evil regime made a mistake and must be punished and it shall be." President Joe Biden reiterated America's "ironclad" commitment to "Israel's security against these threats from Iran and its proxies." German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for "all actors in the region" to "exercise maximum restraint" and avoid "further regional escalation."

The commentary

The Pentagon was "frustrated that Israel did not notify the United States" before the Damascus attack, given "the strike's implications for U.S. troops and interests in the region," The Washington Post said. The U.S. now assesses that Iran is "calibrating" its "major retaliatory strike" to "send a message — but not spark a regional war that compels Washington to respond," Politico said.

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What next?

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has presented Israel "strike plans" to Khamenei, but "he is still weighing the political risk," an adviser to the paramilitary group told The Wall Street Journal.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.