Will Israel respond to Iran’s first-ever direct attack?

The Israeli government says it’s weighing its options amid calls from allies to de-escalate tensions.

The smoke has cleared and the dust has settled after Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel.

The weekend attack – the first direct military action targeting Israel from Iranian soil – was, says Iran, proportional retaliation for the bombing of its consulate in Syria.

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Israeli leaders have vowed to respond.

Fears are growing of an escalation into a regional war.

Are those fears justified?

And what would a direct confrontation between the regional rivals mean for an already volatile Middle East?

Presenter:

James Bays

Guests:

Randa Slim – Senior fellow and director of conflict resolution at the Middle East Institute

Robert Geist Pinfold – Lecturer in peace and security, Durham University

Akiva Eldar – Political analyst and author of the book Lords of the Land, about Israeli settlements in the occupied territories