Israel's war cabinet has been involved in a heated debate over how and when to respond to Iran's weekend attack on its country, two Israeli officials familiar with the deliberations told CNN.
The war cabinet remains determined to respond to Iran's attack, but meeting Monday afternoon, its members continue to debate the timing and scope of such a response, officials said. In addition to a possible military response, the war cabinet is also considering diplomatic options to further isolate Iran on the world stage.
Benny Gantz, a key member of the war cabinet, has pushed for a faster response to Iran's attack, two Israeli officials said. So far, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held back his decision. Gantz believes that the longer Israel delays its response to Iran's attack, the more difficult it will be to gain international support for such an attack, one of the sources said. Several countries are already warning Israel not to make the situation even worse with a military response.
The Israeli government is aware that the country currently enjoys international support and the goodwill of its allies and does not want to waste it. At the same time, the government recognizes that it cannot allow Iran's first attack on Israeli soil to go unanswered.
Among the military options being considered, the war cabinet is considering an attack on an Iranian facility that would send a message but avoid causing casualties, an Israeli official said. But Israeli officials acknowledge that it will be difficult to thread the needle, hence the ongoing debate. The timing of a decision is still unclear.
