74% of Israelis Surveyed Oppose an Israeli counter-attack on Iran

Leftover rockets are surfacing around Israel some five days after Iran’s major air strike on Israel. The IDF says 99% of Iran’s 300 combined missiles and hostile UAVs were intercepted. There were no deaths, but 1 severe injury of a 7-year-old Bedouin girl who was hit by shrapnel. Now, enormous missiles which fell from the sky into Israel territory are surfacing around the country. 

The Israel Defense Forces displayed the remains of an Emad missile intercepted during an Iranian attack, revealing only the fuel tank was recovered, while the warhead and engine were completely destroyed by the Arrow air defense system. The missile, part of a barrage of 120 ballistic missiles, traveled over 1,500 kilometers from Iran to Israel in around 12 minutes before being found floating in the Dead Sea. Despite the attack, IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari emphasized Israel’s defensive and offensive capabilities, warning of a chosen response to Iranian aggression. People around the country are shocked to see the size of these missiles, which help people understand the intention behind the missile launch. 

A survey conducted by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that 74% of Israelis oppose an Israeli counter-attack on Iran if it risks undermining the security alliance with the US, UK, France, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The survey, led by Nimrod Nir, revealed that 52% believe it’s better not to respond to the recent Iranian attack, while 48% support a response, even if it escalates conflict. 

Of those supporting a military response, 25% favor an operation on Iranian territory, while over a third prefer a strategic operation to neutralize Iran’s nuclear threat. Additionally, over half of Israelis believe Israel should heed its allies’ security demands, particularly coordinating security with the US, while 43% think allies should also handle security in Gaza and the West Bank. 

The survey involved 1,466 Israeli respondents aged 18 and older, reflecting diverse demographics and political affiliations.

Regarding Iran’s proxy Hezbollah:

Wednesday, The Israel Defense Forces launched an airstrike on Hezbollah’s air defense unit in Baalbek, northeast Lebanon. This came after Hezbollah conducted a major drone attack on northern Israel hours earlier, which wounded some 18 Israeli soldiers and civilians. Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy.

The IDF’s investigation revealed that Hezbollah fired anti-tank missiles before launching the drones, hitting a community center in Arab al-Aramshe. In response to the attack, the IDF targeted launch sites and buildings in southern Lebanon where Hezbollah is operating, which is escalating tensions amidst ongoing skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah at the border.