Peyman Jafari, historian and Iran expert, does not think such a backlash will happen in the next 48 hours. “Iran feels the pressure to retaliate, but their other concern is the long-term strategy,” he says in De Wereld Today on Radio 1.
“From their point of view, patience plays an important role in that regard. They have already taken blows at the moment, but they also think: let the war in Gaza continue, it is to our advantage. That would not be a war with Israel. They will therefore take a more calculated approach to a counter-reaction and choose the time and place themselves.”