Israel and US on Alert as Tensions Rise, Bracing for Possible Iranian Attack

The United States believes a significant Iranian attack on Israel is imminent, possibly occurring in the coming days, as Iran reaffirms its commitment to retaliate for an alleged Israeli strike in Syria that resulted in the deaths of two generals among several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers. According to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with US and Israeli intelligence assessments, Iran may launch precision missile and drone attacks targeting military and government installations in Israel. One source emphasized that it's not a question of if Tehran will strike Israel, but rather when.

Two Israeli officials report that the US is dispatching its highest-ranking commander for the Middle East to Israel today in anticipation of a potential Iranian assault. General Erik Kurilla, leading the US Central Command, is slated to convene with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and senior Israel Defense Forces personnel, Axios has disclosed.

Amid escalating tensions, Israeli authorities are bracing for an unprecedented onslaught directly from Iran, involving cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones targeting Israeli assets, as per Israeli officials.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared that Israel "must be punished, and it shall be" in response to an alleged Israeli strike in Damascus that resulted in the death of seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members. Among the casualties was Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in the Quds Force, an elite overseas unit of the Revolutionary Guards.

Iran has multiple potential responses at its disposal, according to experts. One immediate option could involve launching attacks directly from Iranian soil, in retaliation for what they perceive as an attack on their sovereign soil at the Damascus consulate. Alternatively, they may utilize the Imam Hussein Division, operated by the Iranian Quds Force in Syria, to launch missiles and UAVs at Israel. These attacks could originate from various locations, including Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and even the sea.

Furthermore, Iran may leverage its network of operatives to target Israeli interests globally, including embassies, while also identifying Israeli individuals and security forces for potential retaliation.

Should Iran escalate to an attack on Israeli territory, such as IDF bases, population centers, or critical infrastructure, Israel would be compelled to respond with significant force.

According to a source familiar with the matter, the US Middle East envoy reached out to the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Iraq, urging them to convey a message to Iran, calling for de-escalation with Israel after a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran's embassy in Syria. White House Middle East advisor Brett McGurk tasked the officials with contacting Iran's foreign minister to deliver the message, a move confirmed by Iran's Foreign Ministry, which reported discussions on regional tensions during the phone calls between the foreign ministers.

Meanwhile, Israel's Foreign Minister issued a stark warning on Wednesday, asserting that Israeli forces would retaliate directly against Iran if the Islamic Republic initiated an attack from its soil targeting Israel. Israel Katz emphasized in a post on X, in both Farsi and Hebrew, that "If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran."

Tensions briefly surged after an Iranian news agency posted an Arabic report on social media platform X, claiming the closure of all airspace over Tehran for military drills. However, the agency swiftly retracted the report and denied issuing any such news. Meanwhile, Lufthansa announced the suspension of flights to and from Tehran from April 6 until possibly April 11. A spokesperson for the company emphasized, "We are constantly monitoring the situation in the Middle East and are in close contact with the authorities. The safety of our guests and crew members is Lufthansa's top priority," according to Reuters.