United States: US President Joe Biden anticipates Iran to attack Israel “sooner than later,” as concerns rise regarding potential Iranian retaliation over an airstrike that resulted in the deaths of top commanders earlier this month.
Israel has not acknowledged carrying out an airstrike on an Iranian consulate in Syria but is widely believed to be responsible.
US officials have informed CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that a significant attack on Israel could occur imminently.
Israel states it is prepared to protect itself. Mr. Biden warned Iran, saying, “Don’t.”
“We are committed to defending Israel. We will support Israel,” Mr. Biden stated. “We will assist in defending Israel, and Iran will not succeed.”
Iran supports Hamas, the Palestinian group fighting Israel in Gaza, as well as various proxy groups throughout the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, which frequently carries out attacks against Israelis.
Hezbollah claimed on Friday that it had fired “dozens” of rockets from Lebanon towards Israel. An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson stated that approximately 40 missiles and two explosive drones had been launched. There were no casualties reported, and there were no signs of involvement from other parties.
A US official told CBS that the rocket barrage was separate from any anticipated Iranian attack on Israel.
BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner suggests that Iran is intentionally keeping the Middle East and Washington uncertain.
Since the deadly strike on the consulate building in Damascus on 1 April, from which Israel believes Iran was directing its covert arms supplies to its proxies in Lebanon and Syria, Iran’s security establishment has been deliberating its response.
This is all about calibration. Strike too hard, and Israel will respond with overwhelming force. Strike too lightly, and Iran risks appearing weak and ineffective. From a tactical perspective, it would not make sense for Iran to retaliate now, when the region is on high alert, and the US has been informing the world about what to expect.
Pragmatists in Tehran and Qom will be advocating for restraint, while hawks, including the aging Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, will be pushing for a strong response.
However, Iran does not desire a full-scale war, nor do its neighbors on the Arab side of the Gulf. Governments in those countries have already urged Iran to show restraint. The question now, our correspondent says, is whether it is the hawks or the doves who will prevail.
The escalating tensions have prompted several countries, including the US, UK, India, and Australia, to advise against traveling to Israel. Germany has called on its citizens to leave Iran.
The US State Department has also prohibited diplomatic staff and their families in Israel from traveling outside the cities of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Beersheba.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened with members of his war cabinet amid the warnings.
Some Israelis have expressed that they are not concerned about a potential Iranian attack.
“We know that we are surrounded by enemies, in the south, in the north, the east, and the west,” Daniel Kosman told AFP news agency at a market in Jerusalem. “We are not afraid, I can promise you. Look around: people are going out.”
The Israeli government has not issued any new guidance to its citizens beyond the existing advice to stock up on water, food for three days, and essential medicine.
However, Israeli radio reported that local authorities have been instructed to prepare for the possibility of an attack, including by assessing the readiness of public shelters.
Last week, the Israeli military canceled home leave for combat troops, bolstered air defenses, and called up reservists.
Thirteen people were killed in the missile strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on 1 April.
Among the victims were senior Iranian military leaders, including Brig Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon.
Israel has not commented on the incident but is widely believed to have been responsible for the attack.
Officials in several countries have been attempting to dissuade Iran from launching an attack, fearing it could lead to a wider regional conflict.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has discussed the issue with the foreign ministers of China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey in an effort to persuade them to use their influence with Iran.
Following a meeting with the commander of US Central Command on Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the threat had strengthened the bond between the two countries, adding that “we will know how to respond.”
The conflict in Gaza began when Hamas attacked Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 250 hostage. Israel claims that at least 34 of the 130 hostages still in Gaza are dead.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 33,600 Gazans, the majority of them civilians, have been killed during Israel’s campaign in Gaza.
The conflict has also involved almost daily exchanges of fire across Israel’s northern border with Hezbollah, while Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Yemen have attempted to strike Israeli territory as well as US bases in Iraq and Syria.
Yemen’s Houthi movement has also attacked shipping in the Red Sea, sinking at least one ship and prompting the US and UK to launch air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
