Israel’s war cabinet, which was debating for a second day how to respond to Iran’s attack last Saturday, ended its meeting today at 5:30 p.m., Channel 12 TV News reports.

At the same time, he said that several options were discussed, each of which would have a “painful” impact against Iran, but without igniting a regional war.

The war cabinet also aims to respond in a way that is not “blocked” by the US, the network said.

Earlier, it became known that the Israeli prime minister, in an unusual move, called the heads of all opposition parties to brief them on security in Tel Aviv.

The war cabinet met to discuss the timing and scope of retaliation to the Iranian attack, the officials said.

Blinken: US ‘coordinating diplomatic response to prevent escalation’

At the same time, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the US had spent the last 36 hours “coordinating a diplomatic response to prevent escalation”.

“Strength and wisdom must be different sides of the same coin,” Blinken said in an apparently tacit plea for Israel to exercise restraint in its response. Blinken noted that he has been in contact with his counterparts in the region “and will continue to do so in the coming hours and days.”

“We are not seeking escalation, but we will continue to support Israel’s defense and protect our personnel in the region,” Blinken said in his first public comments on Iran’s attack on Israel.

Iranian Foreign Minister: Iran will respond immediately if Israel retaliates

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told his British counterpart on Monday that “Iran does not want tensions to rise, but will respond immediately and more forcefully if Israel retaliates.”