Iran vows retaliation for alleged Israeli strike on Syria
Tehran believes US, Israel behind Stuxnet virus
Iran expected to target Israel, not US, in response
Tehran has vowed to retaliate against a suspected Israeli air strike on its consulate in Damascus, but what are its options?
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Tuesday that the country would "respond appropriately" to the attack, which it blamed on Israel.
Israeli officials have not commented on the allegations, but the country has a history of carrying out airstrikes on Iranian targets in Syria.
Analysts say that Iran is likely to retaliate against Israel, but that it is unlikely to target the United States or its military forces.
"Iran has a long history of asymmetric warfare, and it is likely to use that experience to strike back at Israel," said Ali Vaez, the Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group.
"However, Iran is also aware of the risks of provoking a larger conflict with Israel or the United States, so it is likely to calibrate its response carefully."
One possible option for Iran is to launch cyberattacks against Israeli targets. Iran has a sophisticated cyberwarfare program, and it has been blamed for a number of high-profile attacks in recent years.
Iran could also choose to retaliate through its proxies in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon or the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Whatever form Iran's retaliation takes, it is likely to further escalate tensions between the two countries.
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