Iran sent drones towards Israel as retaliation on Friday morning, all of which were intercepted. More conventional rocket and drone attacks are expected. Earlier this week, Iranian commanders suggested that counterattacks could target American military installations in the region as well as Israel.

Iran could also resort to asymmetric warfare. Tehran has previously threatened to close or disrupt the Strait of Hormuz in the event of an attack. This key waterway separates Iran from the Gulf states, and approximately 30% of the world's total maritime oil exports pass through it.

Iran has also been accused in the past of an attack on oil fields in Saudi Arabia and of sabotaging tankers in the Gulf. Although it has been severely weakened by Israel in the past 18 months, the so-called Axis of Resistance – including the Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon – still has the potential to cause problems for Israel and its allies.