Pentagon silent as Israel plans 'painful' Iran response

The USA and Israel are engaging in intensive consultations regarding a possible military response to the missile attack carried out by Iran on Israeli targets on Tuesday. However, the Pentagon has not yet provided any information about the approval of Israeli retaliatory attacks.

When asked by reporters whether Iranian oil facilities could become potential targets for an Israeli attack, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh replied, "So what I can tell you, is we're certainly consulting with Israel, and talking to them about their response [about the Iranian missile attack], but I'm just not going to go any further than that."

Singh also added that not all operations conducted by Israel are previously consulted with the USA. "We don't get a heads up on every single operation that they're conducting every single day," said the Pentagon spokesperson.

Nevertheless, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin constantly contacts Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant. Both leaders regularly exchange views on the current situation in the region and possible responses to Iran's actions.

President Joe Biden confirmed previous declarations of full US support for Israel. The US administration has already decided to send additional military units to the Middle East. Talks with Israeli authorities are also ongoing concerning possible attacks on strategic targets in Iran, including oil installations.

Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that Iran must expect a painful response to Tuesday's attack. "Iran made a big mistake tonight - and it will pay for it," Netanyahu announced. According to CNBC, one of the scenarios being discussed involves strikes on facilities related to Iran's oil industry.

The current crisis in the region is raising worries in financial circles. Analysts from Wall Street express concerns that aggressive military actions, especially attacks on oil targets, may lead to an increase in oil prices, affecting the global market. The costs of such operations would thus exceed the boundaries of conflict and could impact the global economy.

Meanwhile, the armed conflict isn't limited solely to Israel's actions against Iran. On Thursday, according to Israeli military sources, Hezbollah militants operating from Lebanon fired over 230 rocket missiles towards Israel. In response, Israeli fighter jets attacked 15 Hezbollah-controlled sites in Beirut, Lebanon's capital. The Israeli army called on residents of southern Beirut suburbs to evacuate, warning of forthcoming additional airstrikes.

According to Lebanese government estimates, more than 1,000 people have died in Israeli airstrikes carried out over the past fortnight. Additionally, around 1.2 million Lebanese have had to leave their homes due to intense military actions. Television and media report that a large portion of the victims are civilians, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.

A million residents in Lebanon are fleeing from bombings in the north of the country.