Public Opinion Survey: Views on Israel's Response to Iran

[jj1000]

That would be best for Israel but not going to happen.

I could see it happening, not overnight, and maybe only if a R is in office in around 8 months from now. But it's a strong possibility.

[CountValentine]

Iran declared war on Israel more than 40 years ago. They threaten to obliterate Israel off the map on a practically daily basis. They don't just speak though, they have created, supported, funded, controlled, and cheered many different countries and terrorist organizations over the years who are actively trying to do just that. Iran is directly responsible for thousands of Israeli lives, and untold billions upon billions of dollars of military defense, and the unquantifiable damage of a civilization living under constant threat of rocket attacks with only seconds to make it to a shelter.

Israel has assassinated many of its military and nuclear program leaders over the years. The notion that this attack was some sort of escalation that *needed* to be responded to is silly.

One thing that Iran has not done is send cruise and ballistic missiles themselves. I'm not sure if you saw the size of those things, they are massively powerful, *each* with the ability to kill hundreds. The fact that Israel and its allies were mostly able to defend them doesn't take away from how close they were to massive catastrophes. If this is not responded to, it becomes the new normal, just like rocket attacks in southern Israel (and now north). Speak to people who live there, it is not a way of life that any government should allow their citizens to live under. And it's to Israel's great shame that they have allowed their citizens to live like that for years.

So yes, Israel has no choice but to respond. Not because they said they would, but because their survival depends on it.

We will not agree on this because we have different perspectives. That does not mean you are wrong.

There was no serious talk about Iran directly launching against Israel since Oct 7 and before the bombing. It has been a proxy war. That bombing changed everything.

At this time Iran does not want a direct war with Israel. They can talk all they want (just like NK does with the US) but they know an all-out war means the destruction of Iran. If you corner an animal don't be surprised when he fights back.

[Yehuda57]

That bombing changed everything.

Again, you are repeating a talking point without any basis. Israel doing targeted attacks of specific Iranians in Syria and elsewhere has been happening for decades

[CountValentine]

I could see it happening, not overnight, and maybe only if a R is in office in around 8 months from now. But it's a strong possibility.

Going to have to disagree with you based on recent history.
Two examples.
1 - red line for pulling out troops
2 - response to Iran bombing our military bases injuring several service members.

I don't ever see this happening but if by some awful chance Israel needed boots on the ground from the US your best chance is with "don't".

[CountValentine]

Again, you are repeating a talking point without any basis. Israel doing targeted attacks of specific Iranians in Syria and elsewhere has been happening for decades

This is no talking point. Many look at consulates/embassies differently. They have special protections for a reason.
You don't need to agree but saying I am repeating a talking point is not fair.
You know the history way better than me. Has Israel every struck an Iranian consulate/embassy before?

[Yehuda57]

This is no talking point. Many look at consulates/embassies differently. They have special protections for a reason.
You don't need to agree but saying I am repeating a talking point is not fair.
You know the history way better than me. Has Israel every struck an Iranian consulate/embassy before?

Do you see the irony of Iran making a whole to-do about attacking someone attacking their embassy?

Let me put it this way, what is a bigger "act of war" - attacking on country on their soil or attacking their embassy/consulate?

[EliJelly]

Let me put it this way, what is a bigger "act of war" - attacking on country on their soil or attacking their embassy/consulate?

Was actually thinking about this. If Iran would want to strike back at an Israeli embassy somewhere, is there any country they'd dare to start up with by doing so other than Israel itself? I mean there is no Israeli embassy in Syria, Yemen or Iraq. Israel otoh has the liberty to bomb Iranian targets freely in Lebanon and Syria.

[CountValentine]

Do you see the irony of Iran making a whole to-do about attacking someone attacking their embassy?

Let me put it this way, what is a bigger "act of war" - attacking on country on their soil or attacking their embassy/consulate?

By international law the soil is not the same. So based on that it would be a bigger act of war on their own soil.
Based on the same international laws bombing a consulate/embassy would be a bigger act of war than a bombing on some random street.

Hopefully I answered your question. Now how about mine?

You know the history way better than me. Has Israel every struck an Iranian consulate/embassy before?

[CountValentine]

Was actually thinking about this. If Iran would want to strike back at an Israeli embassy somewhere, is there any country they'd dare to start up with by doing so other than Israel itself? I mean there is no Israeli embassy in Syria, Yemen or Iraq. Israel otoh has the liberty to bomb Iranian targets freely in Lebanon and Syria.

What if the blew up an Israeli embassy in the US. Would that be considered as escalation?

[EliJelly]

What if the blew up an Israeli embassy in the US. Would that be considered as escalation?

You mean an anonymous terror attack like the 1992 Buenos Aires Israeli embassy bombing? That wouldn't be an adequate satisfying response for them to a military strike on theirs, even if they'd be able to pull that off, which I doubt.

[Yehuda57]

By international law the soil is not the same. So based on that it would be a bigger act of war on their own soil.
Based on the same international laws bombing a consulate/embassy would be a bigger act of war than a bombing on some random street.

Hopefully I answered your question. Now how about mine?

That's how I was answering your question. Israel has targeted numerous Iranian officials *on Iranian soil* which, as you said, is "worse" than a targeted attack in a consulate.

And again, Iran declared war on Israel in 1979, and has repeated its threat to eradicate it off the map pretty much daily since then. They can't cry that they should be immune from attack when they are in their consulate, they chose to go to war!

[CountValentine]

You mean an anonymous terror attack like the 1992 Buenos Aires Israeli embassy bombing? That wouldn't be an adequate satisfying response for them to a military strike on theirs, even if they'd be able to pull that off, which I doubt.

Wasn't that a proxy group?

[EliJelly]

Wasn't that a proxy group?

Ordered by Iran.

[CountValentine]

That's how I was answering your question. Israel has targeted numerous Iranian officials *on Iranian soil* which, as you said, is "worse" than a targeted attack in a consulate.

And again, Iran declared war on Israel in 1979, and has repeated its threat to eradicate it off the map pretty much daily since then. They can't cry that they should be immune from attack when they are in their consulate, they chose to go to war!

I think you would agree everything has a starting point and we can go back to the begging of time.

So Israel had direct attacks on Iran many times over is what you are telling me?

[CountValentine]

Ordered by Iran.

I think we are all clear about the proxies.

[EliJelly]

I think we are all clear about the proxies.

So you mean a blowup with Iran officially taking responsibility instead of a proxy terror group? No, ain't gonna happen.

[CountValentine]

So you mean a blowup with Iran officially taking responsibly instead of a proxy terror group? No, ain't gonna happen.

Meaning Iran hides behind the proxies.
Speaking of hiding behind, did Israel every say that it carried out the consulate annex bombing?

[aygart]

Just to add, Iran themselves said that the generals killed were involved in planning Oct 7 and continuing to plan with the regional proxies literally as the attack happened

[Yehuda57]

I think you would agree everything has a starting point and we can go back to the begging of time.

Come on, we're talking about Iran's war with Israel. It's not crazy to talk about when that started which was 1979. It's not like anything happened in between then and now which paused or restarted the war, they have been very publicly at war with Israel throughout.

So Israel had direct attacks on Iran many times over is what you are telling me?

I don't know how accurate this list is in general, but there are a few targeted assassinations in Iran.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Israeli_assassinations

[CountValentine]

Come on, we're talking about Iran's war with Israel. It's not crazy to talk about when that started which was 1979. It's not like anything happened in between then and now which paused or restarted the war, they have been very publicly at war with Israel throughout.

I understand that but also look at there is a pause and restart.

I don't look at Oct 7 as something from 1979. I look at as an escalation of the magnitude we have not seen before. I don't know if you want to call it a pause and a restart but for me it is a new starting point for this war.