The Times: four Iranian scenarios to respond to the Israeli attack

A report by The Times newspaper reviewed four possible scenarios for Iran’s response to the Israeli strike on Iranian military and nuclear sites early Friday morning.

While the British newspaper suggested that US forces in the Middle East, as well as shipping and oil facilities, could be within Iranian range, it anticipated various Iranian scenarios for a response.

There are four possible scenarios that Iran might take to respond to the Israeli attack, starting with missile strikes on US and Israeli bases.

Iran possesses thousands of medium-range missiles capable of reaching US bases across the region, including sites in neighboring Iraq.

The second scenario could be Iran shutting down navigation in the Arabian Gulf, a major conduit for oil shipments.

Up to 30% of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and any conflict could lead to a disruption of navigation.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the UK’s maritime trade agency, advised ships sailing in the region to exercise caution.

The third scenario, would likely be limited to attacking Israel alone, as Iran has threatened to attack Israel again if Israel attacks its nuclear sites.

In October of last year, Iran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel in retaliation for Israeli bombing of Iranian missile production facilities and air defenses.

Although Israeli air defenses, with support from the United States, Britain, and France, intercepted most of the missiles, several managed to penetrate the air defenses and landed at an airport housing a fleet of F-35 fighter jets, just a few hundred meters from the headquarters of the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad.

The Times added that the latest scenario would see Iran’s proxies in the region join the battlefield.

While the Lebanese Hezbollah, Iran’s main ally, has been a deterrent to Israel for decades, Israel has been able to eliminate the militant group in Lebanon, as well as Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

While Iran still has Houthi allies in Yemen, who regularly launch missiles at Israel, and proxy forces in Iraq, which have also attacked Israel and US bases in Iraq and Syria, the option of their involvement remains.