Iran vowed to respond to US attacks on its soil, although analysts said any countermeasure must be carefully calibrated to avoid a devastating escalation.
Tehran has several options, wrote the BBC’s veteran security correspondent Frank Gardner: It could choke off the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil supplies are shipped; it could use its sophisticated cyber capabilities to strike US interests; or it could hit US bases, perhaps using drone swarms belonging to regional proxies.
After threatening America with “everlasting consequences,” Tehran’s theocratic leaders face a stark choice, a regional expert told The New Yorker’s David Remnick: “If the Ayatollah responds weakly, he loses face,” but “if he responds too strongly, he could lose his head.”