Iran Could Attack Israel On This Date: Report
Reportedly, Iran could attack Israel on as early as Monday. The extreme volatile situation in the region has brought Gen. Michael Kurilla, a senior US defence official, to Tel Aviv. Citing three American and Israeli officials, US based Axios news reported that they expected Iran to attack Israel as early as Monday. Iran and its allies are getting ready to avenge the assassination of Hezbollah Fuad Shukur in Lebanon, and Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
In a statement released, Pentagon said it was moving a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East and maintaining an aircraft carrier in the region beefing up the American military presence to help defend Israel and safeguard US troops.
Two military ships are already in the region and the Royal Air Force has put transport helicopters on standby, said BBC.
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Though Michael Kurilla’s trip to the region was planned before the recent escalation in the region, he is expected to use the trip to try to mobilize the same international and regional coalition that defended Israel against an attack against Israel on April this year, when the former unleashed a barrage of some hundreds of rockets against Israel.
This time, Iran’s response is expected to be larger. The Biden administration is concerned it may be more difficult to mobilize the same international and regional coalition of countries that defended Israel from the previous Iranian attack because Haniyeh’s assassination is in the context of the Israel-Hamas war, which has drawn sharp anti-Israel sentiments across the region, said the report.
Earlier today, Hezbollah fired over 50 Katyusha rockets at northern Israel. Though many projectiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome system, several impacts were recognised, especially in the Beit Hillel region.
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Iran’s Permanent mission to the United Nations earlier said that Hezbollah is preparing for a “broader and deeper” attacks on targets. In response to the question of quality of Hezbollah’s retaliation against Israel’s targeted killing of Fuad Shukr, the mission said, “Hezbollah will choose both broader and deeper targets”. Spokesperson to the mission stressed that the ‘target’ would be ‘within’ Israel.
Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said Israel had “crossed a red line” and must brace for a stern response. He said Tel Aviv must expect “rage and revenge on all the fronts supporting Gaza.” Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned Israel of a “harsh response” for the assassination, saying it is the Islamic Republic’s duty to avenge the blood of the resistance leader.
