Here is the way it works. Israel assassinates a Muslin leader on Iranian territory, and then the media goes into action calling on Iran not to escalate the situation. Iran doesn't, and from Iran not "escalating the situation" another leader is assassinated. Iran is again called on not to escalate the situation.

The reason we are headed to war is that Russia, Iran, and China are provoked time and again, and their response is to wait, and wait, and wait some more while Washington and Israel get prepared, thus reducing the effectiveness of any action taken by Russia, Iran, and China.

Iran has now waited so long before responding to Israel's assassinations that Israel has had time to prepare an underground bunker for Netanyahu and his war party. Iran had a chance to catch them in the open and blew it. Now Iran says it wants to punish Israel but avoid all-out war. No meaningful action will be forthcoming from Iran.