Israel military official says 'preparing response' to Iran attack

An Israeli official told AFP on Saturday that the military is "preparing a response" to the Iranian missile barrage that targeted Israel earlier this week.

"The IDF (Israeli military) is preparing a response to the unprecedented and unlawful Iranian attack on Israeli civilians and Israel," the military official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue.

He did not elaborate on the nature or timing of the response.

Israel's left-leaning newspaper Haaretz, quoting the military, reported that the military's response will be "significant."

"The IDF is preparing for a significant strike in Iran following this week's missile attack from Tehran," the newspaper reported.

"The military does not rule out the possibility that Iran may launch missiles at Israeli territory again after the Israeli attack," it added.

On October 1, Iran launched around 200 missiles at Israel, its second direct attack on the country in less than six months.

Most of the missiles were intercepted by Israel's aerial defense system, while some hit military bases but did not cause major damage or casualties.

Iran said the missiles were launched to avenge the assassination of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who was killed by an Israeli air strike in the Lebanese capital's suburbs on September 27.

Iran's missile attack was also in response to the death of the former political head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran on July 31.

Both Iran and Hamas blame Israel for Haniyeh's killing. Israel has not commented on his death.