Israel is preparing for possible war with Iran, the risk of which spiked upwards after the Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1. The IDF said yesterday that it had halted home leave for all combat troops, following a fresh assessment, reported the Times of Israel. “The IDF is at war and the issue of the deployment of forces is constantly reviewed as needed,” the military noted in its announcement.
Possible scenarios, for which the IDF is understood to be preparing, include missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen—all of which have been carried out amid the ongoing Gaza war—and ballistic missile attacks directly from Iran, a situation that Israel has not yet faced. Israeli officials believe the country’s air defense systems will be able to handle the threat.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said early Wednesday that Israel is “increasing preparedness” in the face of threats from across the Middle East. Speaking at a home-front readiness drill in Haifa, Gallant said that the country’s defense establishment is “expanding our operations against Hezbollah, against other bodies that threaten us,” and reiterated that Israel “strikes our enemies all over the Middle East.”
“We need to be prepared and ready for every scenario and every threat” against near enemies and distant enemies,” Gallant said, vowing that “we will know how to protect the citizens of Israel and we will know how to attack our enemies.”
The Biden Administration is reported to be “alarmed” at the prospect of an Israel-Iran war. “Yes, we’re very concerned [about this scenario]. In fact, one of the things that the Prime Minister and the President talked about today was this very public very real threat by Iran to the State of Israel,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN, reported [https://tass.com/world/1770855] TASS. “I think it’s important to remember that the security assistance we provide Israel is not just for Gaza. <…> The United States will stand with you. We will continue to help you defend yourself against these multiple threats,” Kirby added.
