Our Attack on Iran Would Be Lethal and Surprising: Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant Warns Tehran

Jerusalem: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday said that an Israeli strike on Iran in response to its recent missile attack would be “lethal” and “surprising.” 

A statement from Gallant's office said the Israeli strike would leave Iran confused. 

“They won't understand what happened and how it happened,” Gallant said.

'Iran Will Get Confused When We Attack'

Iran fired dozens of missiles at Israel last week in an escalation of the conflict between the two countries.

Israel has been discussing how to respond to the Iranian missile barrage from Oct. 1, which the United States helped to fend off. Biden last week said he would not support a retaliatory Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran's nuclear program.

Israel's other choices range from a largely symbolic strike — similar to how Israel responded after Iran launched missiles and attack drones in April — to hitting oil facilities and other infrastructure.

Amid concerns about potential Israeli strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure, oil minister Mohsen Paknejad visited Kharg Island, home to the country’s largest oil export terminal, on Sunday. According to the oil ministry’s news agency, Shana, Paknejad met with a senior Revolutionary Guards Navy commander to discuss the security of the country's key oil and gas facilities.

Israel has not ruled out the possibility of targeting Iran’s oil facilities as part of its retaliation. Iranian oil exports, which make up around 3 per cent of global output, have reached near multi-year highs, with China being the primary buyer despite US sanctions.