Israel Unlikely to Carry Out Retaliatory Strike on Iran Until After Passover

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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Israel is unlikely to launch a retaliatory strike on Iran until after the end of the Jewish holiday of Passover, also known as Pesach, which is celebrated from April 22 – 30, a senior US official has told the ABC News broadcaster.

The report said on Wednesday that the official did not rule out that the plans «could always change.»

He added that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other leadership are still on a «high state of alert,» with some of them still being in safe houses and underground facilities, the report said.

On Saturday night, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel in its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The attack came in response to Israel’s airstrike on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital in early April. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israel had intercepted 99% of the aerial targets fired by Iran, including all drones. Tehran claimed that its retaliatory attack “hit designated targets.”

On Tuesday, media reported that Israel had decided how to respond to Iran’s recent retaliatory strike but has yet to decide on its timing.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned on Wednesday that Israel would face a powerful and fierce retaliation if it carried out even the slightest attack on Iran.