"A decision has not yet been made," the official said.
Earlier in the day, Israeli media reported that the US would deploy its THAAD anti-ballistic missile defense system to Israel to protect it from Iranian attacks should Israel conduct retaliatory strikes on Iranian territory. The THAAD system would reportedly be operated by US soldiers.
On October 1, Iran launched 180 ballistic missiles toward Israel in response to the killings of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, and senior IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that his government was not seeking a war with Israel but would confront any threat in a resolute manner.
Israel vowed to respond to the attack at a time and in a manner of its choosing. The United States and other allies have urged Israel to respond proportionately amid concerns that Iran's oil and nuclear facilities may be prime targets, which could potentially spark an all-out regional war.