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Israel has made it clear that it intends to retaliate against Iranian missile attacks, raising concerns about the potential methods of its response. According to the New York Times on October 5, Israel appears ready to strike Iran directly in a more robust and open manner than in the past. Potential targets include oil production facilities, military bases, and nuclear sites.

Iran's oil and gas facilities are primarily concentrated in the western part of the country, near Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. Significant oil export facilities, like the Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, are located along Iran's coast or on islands.

Attacking Iran's oil infrastructure could severely damage its already fragile economy and disrupt the global oil market, especially given that the U.S. presidential election is just a month away. Iran produces about 3 million barrels of oil per day, accounting for roughly 3% of global supply, with China being its largest customer. Although previous sanctions have diminished Iran's significance in the world market, strikes on these facilities could still impact oil prices.

There is also speculation that Israel, concerned about Iran's potential nuclear weapons capability, might take the opportunity to target Iranian nuclear facilities. However, NYT reports that Israeli officials have stated there are no immediate plans to strike Iran's nuclear sites as part of their retaliatory actions.