Less than a day after Israel struck Iran in retaliatory air strikes, setting back Iran’s abilities to defend itself and build missiles, US President Joe Biden chimed in, saying he hoped that the fourth round of Israeli-Iranian tit-for-tat attacks since April would be the last.

“I hope that this is the end,” he said, striking an optimistic tone.

It may well not be.

If Iran retaliates, as it might, Israel will likely strike back, pushing the region closer to a full-scale war.

Israel’s reprisal, which marked a new and probably more dangerous phase in Israel’s longstanding conflict with its greatest enemy, unfolded in three waves over a four-hour period in the early hours of October 26.

Israel bombed military sites, leaving oil and petrochemical production facilities and nuclear sites untouched in accordance with Biden’s request.

Yet, in a sharp departure from the past, Israel openly acknowledged its attack. Previously, when Israel and Iran were locked in a clandestine shadow war, neither side took public credit for hostile operations.

The Israeli government regarded its strikes as ample payback for Iran’s ballistic missile barrage on October 1, which caused little damage.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant described them as the most significant mounted by the Israeli Air Force since the 1967 Six Day War, saying they had upended the balance of power in the Middle East and placed Iran at a “huge disadvantage” in future clashes.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the Knesset’s winter legislative session, reported that Israel had “severely damaged” Iran’s air defense shield and missile manufacturing plants. “We struck them hard,” he said,........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)