Israel reportedly delays potential strike on Iran until Passover ends, following cancellation of two planned attacks last week

Response expected to be weaker - 'Diplomatic sensitivities won out'

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Israel will probably hold off on retaliating against Iran until the Jewish holiday of Passover has concluded, ABC News reported on Wednesday.

A senior U.S. official said Israel’s decision “could always change,” adding that Iran’s senior officials and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continue to be on high alert, with some staying in safe houses and underground facilities.

Passover will begin this coming Monday, about one week since Iran attacked Israel with hundreds of drones and missiles in response to the alleged Israeli strike in Damascus, Syria that killed several Iranian officers in Damascus, Syria.

While Israeli officials have affirmed that Israel will respond, national leaders continue to discuss the optimal timing. According to Israeli sources, cited by ABC News, strikes against Iran were prepared on two occasions last week but subsequently called off.

The Axios news outlet reported that one of the strikes was supposed to take place on Monday night but was postponed.

“We are not sure why and how close it was to an actual attack,” a U.S. official told Axios. The strike was canceled for “operational reasons,” two Israeli sources said.

Another U.S. official said Israel had informed the Biden administration that it decided to wait after the Israeli War Cabinet meeting on Monday.

Israel already canceled a planned strike immediately following Iran’s assault after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone with U.S. President Joe Biden, despite the cabinet having approved several possible responses, according to KAN News.

During a visit to Israel on Wednesday, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “It’s clear the Israelis are making a decision to act. We hope they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible.”

Axios quoted another U.S. official saying that while a “small Israeli strike” in Iran would probably trigger another retaliation, the U.S. hoped it would be more limited than Sunday’s assault and thus enable Israel to end the exchange.

“The response won’t be what was planned any longer, diplomatic sensitivities won out,” a senior source was quoted by KAN News, that this probably meant Israel decided to provide a less aggressive response.

“There will be a response, but it seems it will be different from what was planned.”