In an effort to stop Iran from attacking directly, which could happen as soon as Friday or Saturday, the U.S. quickly sent warships to the area to protect Israel and American troops deployed there.
US actions to prevent a bigger clash in the Middle East came after a person with knowledge of the situation warned of a possible Iranian attack and when and where it might happen. In contrast, someone who has been informed by the Iranian government said that while plans to attack are being talked about, nothing official has been decided yet.
U.S. Central Command chief Army Gen. Erik Kurilla talked with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Friday about a possible attack by Iran. According to Israel's Defense Ministry, Gallant said, "We are ready to defend ourselves on the ground and in the air, working closely with our partners, and we will know how to respond."
Two destroyers were repositioned by the U.S.; one was already in the area and the other was sent there, according to U.S. sources. At least one of the ships carried the Aegis missile defense system.
When asked on Friday when he thought Iran would attack Israel, President Biden said, "I expect it to happen sooner rather than later." I asked Biden what he wanted to say to Iran, and he said, "Don't."
"We are committed to protecting Israel. Vice President Joe Biden said, "We will stand with Israel and help defend it. Iran will not succeed."
U.S. officials are worried that if Iran attacks Israel, Israel will respond in Iran. This could lead to a war in the region and include the U.S., whose troops and friends in the Middle East could be attacked by Tehran if its land is attacked.
According to a top U.S. source, Washington is telling Israel to think carefully about how to respond to any attack by Iran and to recall that doing so could lead to more fighting.
American officials in charge of national security, John Kirby, told reporters on Friday that Iran's threats to attack Israel are still "real" and "viable."
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, who is in charge of Israel's military, talked to Kurilla about a possible attack by Iran after meeting with leaders to talk about how ready Israeli forces were.
Later Thursday night, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called Gallant to tell him that Washington would protect its nearest friend in the area if Iran attacked its own land. An official from the Pentagon said that Austin told Gallant that "Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against Iranian attacks, which Tehran has publicly threatened."
Iran has threatened to fight back against an attack on a foreign building last week in Damascus, Syria, that Tehran said was caused by Israeli airstrikes. An important member of the special Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was among the top military leaders killed in the attack.
International pressure is mounting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to end its military operation against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. If Iran attacks Israel, the situation could get worse. Tensions in the Middle East have reached a level not seen in decades after Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7 killed about 1,200 people and Israel's subsequent operation in Gaza killed more than 33,000.
During their Thursday phone call, Gallant told Austin that "a direct Iranian attack would require an appropriate Israeli response against Iran," according to the Israeli Defense Ministry.
As a result of Israel's refusal to tell the US about the attack on Damascus, US officials have pushed their Israeli colleagues to share information about how Israel could respond to an Iranian attack, in part to protect troops in the area.
According to Israeli sources, Netanyahu met with top security officials on Friday, including Gallant, to talk about how ready Israel is for an Iranian reaction.
Tel Aviv residents went about their day on Friday, going to shops and bars in large numbers on the first day of the Israeli weekend.
"Our faith is strong. While walking with a friend on the Tel Aviv beach, Andrey Uchitel, 48, said, "We are not afraid." I believe everything will work out in the end.
According to Daniel Hagari, a spokeswoman for the Israeli military, the Home Front Command, which is in charge of getting people ready for crises and war, has not changed its emergency orders for the public.
Recently, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's top leader, openly warned to fight back against the attack in Damascus, and Israel messed up local GPS networks that weapons can use to find their way. Although, the Israeli forces tried to calm people down about a possible attack. As of that moment, Hagari stated, "There is no need to buy generators, store food, and take money out of ATMs."
Although the U.S. does not have formal ties with Tehran, American and British officials said on Friday that the U.S. has asked its friends in Europe and the Middle East to put pressure on Iran not to attack Israel.
German and British foreign ministers, Annalena Baerbock and David Cameron, called Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Thursday to ask Tehran not to attack Israel, according to sources from both countries.
A U.S. ally in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, sent the same message to the Islamic Republic, according to the sources.
According to Omani and British officials as well as a Syrian government aide, Amir-Abdollahian said in secret talks with Oman last weekend that Iran would manage its reaction so as not to make things worse in the area.
According to the experts, Iran and its partners could attack the Golan Heights instead of attacking Israel's globally recognized land. The Golan Heights is a controversial area that Israel took from Syria in 1981. Sources say that hitting Israeli offices, especially in the Arab world, would be another choice to show them that being friends with Israel could cost a lot.
Recently, Iranian Revolutionary Guard social media accounts have been posting more about a possible attack on Israel. In a number of widely shared posts, satellite pictures of important places in Israel, like Ben Gurion Airport, being surrounded by Iranian attack drones can be seen.
"Where do you love going?" The posts, which were picked up by several Israeli news outlets, say in Hebrew, "The choice is yours."
A movie of an Iranian hypersonic missile is attached to another post with the Farsi text "5 minutes to Haifa and Tel Aviv."
US actions to prevent a bigger clash in the Middle East came after a person with knowledge of the situation warned of a possible Iranian attack and when and where it might happen. In contrast, someone who has been informed by the Iranian government said that while plans to attack are being talked about, nothing official has been decided yet.
U.S. Central Command chief Army Gen. Erik Kurilla talked with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Friday about a possible attack by Iran. According to Israel's Defense Ministry, Gallant said, "We are ready to defend ourselves on the ground and in the air, working closely with our partners, and we will know how to respond."
Two destroyers were repositioned by the U.S.; one was already in the area and the other was sent there, according to U.S. sources. At least one of the ships carried the Aegis missile defense system.
When asked on Friday when he thought Iran would attack Israel, President Biden said, "I expect it to happen sooner rather than later." I asked Biden what he wanted to say to Iran, and he said, "Don't."
"We are committed to protecting Israel. Vice President Joe Biden said, "We will stand with Israel and help defend it. Iran will not succeed."
U.S. officials are worried that if Iran attacks Israel, Israel will respond in Iran. This could lead to a war in the region and include the U.S., whose troops and friends in the Middle East could be attacked by Tehran if its land is attacked.
According to a top U.S. source, Washington is telling Israel to think carefully about how to respond to any attack by Iran and to recall that doing so could lead to more fighting.
American officials in charge of national security, John Kirby, told reporters on Friday that Iran's threats to attack Israel are still "real" and "viable."
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, who is in charge of Israel's military, talked to Kurilla about a possible attack by Iran after meeting with leaders to talk about how ready Israeli forces were.
Later Thursday night, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called Gallant to tell him that Washington would protect its nearest friend in the area if Iran attacked its own land. An official from the Pentagon said that Austin told Gallant that "Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against Iranian attacks, which Tehran has publicly threatened."
Iran has threatened to fight back against an attack on a foreign building last week in Damascus, Syria, that Tehran said was caused by Israeli airstrikes. An important member of the special Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was among the top military leaders killed in the attack.
International pressure is mounting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to end its military operation against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. If Iran attacks Israel, the situation could get worse. Tensions in the Middle East have reached a level not seen in decades after Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7 killed about 1,200 people and Israel's subsequent operation in Gaza killed more than 33,000.
During their Thursday phone call, Gallant told Austin that "a direct Iranian attack would require an appropriate Israeli response against Iran," according to the Israeli Defense Ministry.
As a result of Israel's refusal to tell the US about the attack on Damascus, US officials have pushed their Israeli colleagues to share information about how Israel could respond to an Iranian attack, in part to protect troops in the area.
According to Israeli sources, Netanyahu met with top security officials on Friday, including Gallant, to talk about how ready Israel is for an Iranian reaction.
Tel Aviv residents went about their day on Friday, going to shops and bars in large numbers on the first day of the Israeli weekend.
"Our faith is strong. While walking with a friend on the Tel Aviv beach, Andrey Uchitel, 48, said, "We are not afraid." I believe everything will work out in the end.
According to Daniel Hagari, a spokeswoman for the Israeli military, the Home Front Command, which is in charge of getting people ready for crises and war, has not changed its emergency orders for the public.
Recently, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's top leader, openly warned to fight back against the attack in Damascus, and Israel messed up local GPS networks that weapons can use to find their way. Although, the Israeli forces tried to calm people down about a possible attack. As of that moment, Hagari stated, "There is no need to buy generators, store food, and take money out of ATMs."
Although the U.S. does not have formal ties with Tehran, American and British officials said on Friday that the U.S. has asked its friends in Europe and the Middle East to put pressure on Iran not to attack Israel.
German and British foreign ministers, Annalena Baerbock and David Cameron, called Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Thursday to ask Tehran not to attack Israel, according to sources from both countries.
A U.S. ally in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, sent the same message to the Islamic Republic, according to the sources.
According to Omani and British officials as well as a Syrian government aide, Amir-Abdollahian said in secret talks with Oman last weekend that Iran would manage its reaction so as not to make things worse in the area.
According to the experts, Iran and its partners could attack the Golan Heights instead of attacking Israel's globally recognized land. The Golan Heights is a controversial area that Israel took from Syria in 1981. Sources say that hitting Israeli offices, especially in the Arab world, would be another choice to show them that being friends with Israel could cost a lot.
Recently, Iranian Revolutionary Guard social media accounts have been posting more about a possible attack on Israel. In a number of widely shared posts, satellite pictures of important places in Israel, like Ben Gurion Airport, being surrounded by Iranian attack drones can be seen.
"Where do you love going?" The posts, which were picked up by several Israeli news outlets, say in Hebrew, "The choice is yours."
A movie of an Iranian hypersonic missile is attached to another post with the Farsi text "5 minutes to Haifa and Tel Aviv."
