'Israel told US moments before striking Iran's Syria consulate'

TEL AVIV: Israel was mere moments away from an air strike on April 1 that killed several senior Iranian commanders at Iran's embassy complex in Syria before it told the US what was about to happen.

Israel's closest ally had just been caught off guard. Publicly, US officials voiced support for Israel, but privately, they expressed anger.

The Israelis had badly miscalculated, thinking that Iran would not react strongly, according to multiple US officials - a view shared by a senior Israeli official. On Saturday, Iran launched a retaliatory barrage of over 300 drones and missiles at Israel - an unexpectedly large-scale response, if one that did minimal damage.

From the day of the strike, Iran vowed retaliation both publicly and through diplomatic channels. But it also sent messages privately that it did not want outright war with Israel - and even less so with the US. US officials found themselves in an odd position: They had been kept in the dark about an important action by ally Israel even as Iran, a longtime foe, telegraphed its intentions well in advance.

The Israelis have acknowledged that they had badly misjudged the consequences, US officials said. Defence secretary Lloyd Austin complained to Israel's defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a call on April 3, US officials said. Austin said the attack put US forces in the region at risk, and the lack of warning had left no time to ratchet up their defences.