Israel’s leaders reckon that the 181 ballistic missiles fired by Iran at Israel on October 1st leave them with little alternative but to hit back. What form the retaliation takes could have wide-ranging implications for the Middle East and beyond.

The White House said the first phone call in nearly two months between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "direct and productive," but provided scant details of their discussion.

Israel’s defense minister warned on Wednesday that his country’s retaliation for a recent Iranian missile attack will be “lethal” and “surprising,” while the Israeli military pushed ahead with a large-scale operation in northern Gaza and a ground offensive in Lebanon against Hezbollah militants.