Speculating on the rationale behind the Israeli attack, one US general suggested Tel Aviv was trying to signal its capability to hurt Iran.

By aiming at the Iranian province of Isfahan, which houses some of Iran’s nuclear facilities, Israel was likely trying to signal it could overwhelm Iran’s defences, retired Major General Mark MacCarley told CNN.

“I think that there was a very deliberate thought process on the part of the Israeli war cabinet,” he said.

Israel needed to show strength and show that it could project power into Iran’s sensitive region. At that same time Israel, contending with a spiralling conflict in Gaza and worsening security situation in general, doesn’t want to further expand hostilities with Iran.

“Israelis had to retaliate, but at the same time, within that retaliation was a message, and that is, ‘Yes, we can get through. Don’t do it again. If you do it again, then all heck will break out’,” he told the network.