Iran, Israel, Retaliation
Iran 'purposefully delaying' its response
Iran's calculated delay in retaliating against Israel is raising tensions and fears across the Middle East, as experts warn of a potential 'uncontrollable war'. While Tehran claims it's not seeking wider conflict, the situation could easily spiral beyond the control of politicians and military commanders.
Iran's delay in retaliating against Israel for the alleged assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran last week is a deliberate strategy, according to Sky News's Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall.
"The wait for Iran's response is in part deliberate, I think... The Iranians know that it sort of plays into the psychology of Israelis as they speculate what might be coming," Bunkell says.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed revenge, stating it's Iran's "duty" to avenge the assassination. Iran is expected to launch a multiday attack on Israel from multiple fronts, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and proxies in Syria and Iraq.
Bunkall suggests two reasons for the delay:
Despite Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani stating that Tehran is not seeking a wider conflict, he added that "punishing Israel is necessary."
Bunkall warns of potential escalation: "It would not take a very big Iranian retaliation, or from Hezbollah, to force the region into an uncontrollable war. And even though that's not what everybody wants, sometimes these events have a habit of running out of the control of the politicians and the commanders who try to orchestrate them."
The situation remains tense as the region awaits Iran's next move.