Five ways Israel could launch ‘revenge’ strike on Iran from submarine raid & nuclear plant blitz to cyberattacks

ISRAEL’s war cabinet has drawn up plans for a revenge attack after Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone blitz – but world leaders fear the outbreak of an “uncontrollable war”.

From a submarine strike to a fighter jet blitz on nuclear facilities or large-scale cyberattacks – there are five ways Israel may choose to hit back at its enemy.

Alamy

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured on the phone to US President Joe Biden) has decided on his plans to strike back at Iran[/caption]

The moment Iran began its 300-missile attack on Israel was revealed by Iranian state television

Iran’s lawmakers chant slogans against Israel during a session of its parliament on Sunday

On Saturday night, Iran attacked Israel with a wave of hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones – the first ever direct attack by Tehran on its enemy.

Israel’s Iron Dome defence system and its allies warplanes – including the UK’s RAF Typhoons – shot down 99 per cent of the projectiles.

The aerial attack was a major departure from what has been a long-running shadow war between the two states and sparked the grim possibility of an all-our war across the region.

Israel has vowed a “significant response” in revenge for the 110 ballistic missiles, 36 cruise missiles and 185 attack drones – which Jerusalem saw as a “declaration of war”.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called off an immediate retaliation after US President Joe Biden pushed for restraint and warned him to “think carefully” about his next move.

But Israel states it reserves the right to strike Iran “at a manner and time” of its own choosing and told the UN that Iran has “crossed every red line” in its attack.

As the world braces for Israel’s response, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told an emergency Security Council meeting on Sunday: “The Middle East is on the brink.

“The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate.”

PM Rishi Sunak condemned Iran’s attack as “reckless” and called for calm, while a joint statement from G7 yesterday also urged caution, fearing an “uncontrollable” war in the region.

But the question on everyone’s lips is how will Israel choose to respond.

The IDF announced last night it had approved “both offensive and defensive actions” – but did not reveal further detail.

Netanyahu is due to reconvene its war cabinet today, which largely want a response to Iran’s attack – but are said to be split on the scale and timing of it.

Here are five ways Israel could orchestrate an attack:

1. Submarine strike

Israel has five German-made submarines which are capable of firing cruise missiles.

A report in Foreign Policy suggested the subs could be deployed in the Indian Ocean where their projectiles could fly over international water to strike Iran directly,

However, it noted that Israel only has limited numbers of cruise missiles and submarines – making such an attack risky and potentially minimal in scale.

2. Attack on nuclear facilities

Israel could seek to try and blitz Iran’s top nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz – a plan that is said to have been years in the making.

The sites have long been a source of friction between the archenemies, but an attack on the nuke sites has always been considered a precursor to a direct war.

According to a Jerusalem Post report, a wave of Israeli F-35s into Iran would likely be followed by further waves of F-15 eagles and F-16 fighting falcons.

They could first help to destroy Iran’s air defences and pave the way for Israel to strike at the chosen nuclear facilities.

But the key would be the arrival of heavily-loaded F-35s carrying American-made “bunker buster” 30,000lb bombs.

These weapons can penetrate up to 80m below ground to reach the underground nuke sites, including Fordow.

However, the US has always refused to provide Israel with such weapons.

Instead, the report stated that Israel may have to rely on surface-to-surface ballistic missile and attack drones to block Tehran’s access to electric power and bury its entrances and exits.

However, it is very unclear whether Israel would pursue such a dramatic response.

The moment Netanyahu told the nation: ”We intercepted. We blocked. Together we will win’ after Israel’s forces downed Iran’s aerial barrage

A drone is launched at Israel from an undisclosed area in Iran

Israel’s anti-missile Iron Dome system in action

3. Attack Iran’s military bases

A more likely scenario would see Israel launch a coordinated series of long-range missile strikes that would first target the missiles bases that Iran used to launch Saturday’s attack.

This could then be broadened out to target training camps, command-and-control centres and airbases belonging to Iran’s fearsome Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

4. Strikes on proxies in Syria & Lebanon

Instead of a direct counterstrike on Iran, Israel may choose the less escalating path of continued attacks on its regional proxies in Lebanon and Syria.

As part of its shadow war with Tehran, Israel has orchestrated assassinations and sabotage attacks against Iran’s terror puppets, including Hezbollah, and carried out hundreds of strikes against targets in Syria and Lebanon.

Saturday’s attack – which Iran claimed was “legitimate self-defence” came in response to a deadly strike on its embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus earlier this month, which Israel is widely believed to be behind.

Now in the wake of Iran’s direct confrontation, analysts say Israel could be looking to expand its strikes on Iranian personnel and military assets in Syria and elsewhere.

Israel has already pummelled Hezbollah targets in Lebanon during a barrage in the early hours of Sunday – targeting weapons manufacturing facilities and targets.

5. Cyberattacks

With Western leaders’ calls for restraint, Israel could chose more covert military actions.

Israel has previously launched cyberattacks on Iran, including targeting its petrol stations in the past.

Former CIA director Gen. David Petraeus warned CNN on Sunday that the Israel’s military might “pursue asymmetric attacks, cyberspace and so forth”.

An IDF official also confirmed to USA Today that cyberattacks are something that is being considered.

“Sometimes you have to plan three or four moves in order to understand what is the right way,” the unnamed official added.

Rex

Iran called its huge missile and drone blitz an act of ‘self-defence’ despite it being its first direct attack on its archenemy[/caption]

An object seen in the sky above Jerusalem after Iran launched its direct attack on Israel