Biden-Harris administration seeks to hinder Israel's response against Iran

Former Israeli officials expressed doubts as to whether the country has the capability to cause significant damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, the The New York Times reported.

The U.S.-based newspaper added that the Pentagon is wondering whether the Jewish state will act alone to respond to the recent Iranian attack, in which nearly 200 ballistic missiles were fired at Israeli territory, as Israel may never get a chance like this again.

U.S. President Joe Biden has warned Jerusalem to avoid launching offensives against nuclear or energy facilities, The New York Post reported.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will welcome his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, in Washington on Wednesday, when they are likely to discuss Israel's counteroffensive against Iran.

Sources consulted by The New York Times stated that Israel is likely to initially attack military bases and perhaps some places linked to Iranian intelligence or leadership. It was added that the Israelis are unlikely to launch offensives against Iran's most important facilities, at least at first.

Attacks against nuclear facilities are likely to be reserved for later and would depend on the situation in the region.

However, more and more voices in Israel, and even in the United States, are calling to seize the moment to delay Iran's ability to obtain a nuclear bomb for years.

Naphtali Bennett, former prime minister of Israel, calls to attack Iran's nuclear facilities

Conservative politician Naftali Bennett, Israel's former prime minister, openly called for the destruction of Iran's nuclear program, claiming on social media that the Jewish state has "its greatest opportunity in 50 years, to change the face of the Middle East," as it can take advantage of the fact that Hezbollah and Hamas "are paralyzed" by the heavy blows received from Israel during the war and that "Iran stands exposed."

Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities: Biden-Harris against, Trump in favor

Opinions on how Israel should carry out its response against Iran reflect the differences between the Biden-Harris administration and Donald Trump. While the Democratic tandem argues that Israeli strikes on nuclear sites would be ineffective and could plunge the region into full-scale war, the Republican candidate has said the Jewish state should target its offensives against those facilities first "and worry about the rest later."

Iran's nuclear plants targeted by Israel and the US

For 22 years, the Natanz uranium enrichment plant, which is buried about 10 feet deep in the desert, has been in the focus of Israel and the U.S. However, Washington has opted for sabotage, diplomacy and sanctions to hinder the advancement of the nuclear program because it fears that an attack could lead to a full-scale war. Also, The New York Times remarked that the U.S. has been working for decades to prevent Israel from obtaining the necessary weapons to destroy the Fordow centrifuge facility.

Israeli sources said Israel's ability to strike Iran is limited, as it relies on an aging fleet of Boeing 707 aerial refueling aircraft and it will be years before they can switch over to more modern models, which would be delivered by the United States.

U.S. General Frank McKenzie, who was in charge of war plans against Iran when he was in charge of the U.S. Central Command, argued that attacking the most important Iranian nuclear facilities is a very complex objective but clarified that there are easier alternatives to execute, such as destroying Iran's energy infrastructure.

What is Russia's role?

In addition, there is concern regarding Russia's cooperation with the Iranians. While Moscow was trying to contain Tehran's nuclear program along with the Western powers as part of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement, currently, the Russians, amidst their invasion of Ukraine, need drones and weapons from Iran, so according to U.S. reports, they are helping the Iranians with the construction of a nuclear warhead.