US intelligence warns of an imminent Iranian attack on Israel, heightening tensions in the Middle East. Learn more about the potential conflict and international responses.
According to various media sources, anonymous US officials have alleged that Iran is preparing a ballistic missile strike on Israel following the entry of Israeli ground forces into Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported conducting “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids” against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon early Tuesday morning following over a week of heavy airstrikes.
“The U.S. has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel,” Axios reported on Tuesday, quoting an anonymous senior U.S. official.
A high-ranking Israeli official informed the outlet that the US warning arrived around noon local time, indicating a strike was anticipated “within the next few hours.”
The US embassy in West Jerusalem has directed all its staff and their families to “shelter in place” because of potential rocket and drone strikes, without specifically mentioning Iran.
“We are actively supporting Israel’s defensive preparations against this attack,” an anonymous White House official told Axios, CBS, and CNN. “A direct military strike from Iran on Israel will result in severe consequences for Iran.”
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IDF spokesman Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that the United States has alerted Israel about “Iranian preparations to launch missiles towards Israel imminently.” However, he added that no “aerial threat from Iran” has been identified so far.
“We are at peak readiness in both offense and defense alongside our partners from the US, closely monitoring developments in Iran,” Hagari informed reporters. “An Iranian attack on Israel will have consequences.”
According to a US official quoted by CNN, Washington anticipated the attack would be “similar” to Iran’s strike in April. That earlier assault involved drones and missiles and marked the first Iranian military action on Israeli territory. Tehran had informed the UN that it was retaliating for an Israeli airstrike on its consulate in Damascus, which breached diplomatic protocols. The attack also resulted in the death of Iranian General Mohammad Reza Zahedi.
During the April attack, the United States and Israel asserted that they successfully intercepted most of the incoming weapons. Israel further stated that those few projectiles which did penetrate their defenses caused minimal damage. Meanwhile, Tehran maintained that the strike achieved its intended objective.
Iran pledged to retaliate for the Israeli assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in early August, but ultimately did not follow through. In mid-September, Israel initiated a campaign against Hezbollah, the Shia militia supported by Iran in Lebanon.
