Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said this in a conversation he had yesterday with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin. The Biden administration and several other Western countries allied with Israel are urging Benjamin Netanyahu's government not to rush into retaliation against Iran that could lead to a regional war.
"There is no choice but to respond to Iran's attack," Gallant told Austin, according to the Axios website which cites informed sources. The same source recalled that the Biden administration is urging Netanyahu’s government to be cautious in its response to the Iranian attack. The White House has not commented on Gallant's comments, which were reported by Axios on Monday. The Pentagon has not responded to a request for comment from CNN for comment on the report. The Israeli government has said it has no immediate plans to retaliate against Iran for its missile attack on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The U.S. State Department has said that it is monitoring the situation in the region closely and is working with Israel on a range of issues.