Israeli officials miscalculated the severity of the Iranian response to the April 1 attack on Tehran's consulate in Damascus -
writes the New York Times
- in which several commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards were killed. "The Israelis miscalculated, thinking that Iran would not react forcefully," reads the document, which cites several American sources. The newspaper said US officials were angry at being informed only minutes before the attack on Damascus, while two Israeli sources told the NYT that the plans began two months earlier. The newspaper says it has seen internal defense documents outlining Tehran's potential responses, and none of them envisaged an attack on the scale seen last weekend, when Tehran fired more than 300 ballistic missiles and drones at Israel. According to the report, Israeli intelligence initially expected Iran to launch a maximum of 10 missiles at Israel. Last week they increased the estimate to 60-70 surface-to-surface missiles, the report said, noting that this also turned out to be an incorrect assessment.
Meanwhile, according to a US source on the ABC broadcaster, reported by the Israeli media, it is unlikely that Israel will attack Iran before the end of the Jewish Passover which begins on Monday 22 April and ends on the 29th. The same source, however, added that "anything can always change". He then stressed that Pasdaran commanders and other Iranian leadership are still in a high alert situation, with some hiding in safe houses and underground facilities.
Qatar is "re-evaluating" its mediation between Israel and Hamas. This was announced today by the prime minister of the Gulf country which plays a leading role in the negotiations for a truce in the Gaza Strip. "We are carrying out a global reassessment of our role," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdelrahman Al-Thani in during a press conference.
Raid in Rafah, 8 members of the same family, 5 children, killed
In last night's Israeli raid in Rafah, 8 people from the same family died, including 5 children
. CNN writes it online, citing hospital officials. The air attack occurred in the Al-Salam neighborhood in the southern part of Rafah. The bodies of the victims - all belonging to the Ayyad family, displaced from Gaza City, in the northern part of the enclave - were taken to the Abu Yousuf Najjar hospital. Among the eight dead were five children, according to a list provided by a hospital official.
'Netanyahu set aside immediate reaction for Biden'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to shelve plans for immediate retaliation against the weekend's Iranian attack after speaking with US President Joe Biden immediately after the incident. This was reported by Kan TV, according to which the government had already approved a series of possible responses depending on the extent of the Iranian attack to be implemented immediately after the raid on Tehran. "The response - a source told Kan TV - will no longer be the one expected, diplomatic sensitivity has prevailed. There will be a reaction, but it seems that it will be different from what was expected".
Rafah-Iran exchange between Washington and Tel Aviv
An Egyptian source told the London-based Arab newspaper 'Al-Araby Al-Jadeed' that the US agreed to the plan for military action in Rafah in exchange for a limited attack on Iran. Haaretz reported it, but at the moment there is no confirmation in Israel.