Iran to attack Israel this week, White House says

Iran appears ‘increasingly likely’ to attack Israel in the next few days, warns White House, with an attack expected before resumption of hostage deal talks on Thursday.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Iran will likely attempt to strike Israel some time in the next few days, the White House warned Monday, amid intelligence estimates Tehran will attempt to retaliate against Israel for the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh sometime before hostage deal talks resume this Thursday.

White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told reporters Monday evening that the U.S. now believes Iran will try to strike Israel this week.

“I believe you’ve probably seen statements made by our Israeli counterparts about their expectations, the fact that they believe that it’s increasingly likely that there will be an attack by Iran and/or its proxies, and perhaps in the coming days,” Kirby said.

“I would tell you that we share those concerns, and that is why we have been continually speaking to our Israeli counterparts and other counterparts in the region.”

Despite reports that Iran may be rethinking its vow to avenge the July 31st killing of Haniyeh in Tehran , a senior Israeli official told Axios that all signs point to Iran carrying out an attack more substantial than its combination ballistic missile and drone strike this past April.

“The Iranians openly signal (on the ground) their determination to carry out a significant attack in addition to their public statements that the attack will exceed the one they carried out in April. Iranian public statements do not reflect any retreat.”

President Joe Biden spoke by phone with the heads of government of America’s European allies on Monday, including his counterparts in France, Germany, Italy, and the U.K., regarding the possibility of an Iranian attack.

Kirby told reporters that Biden and European leaders discussed plans to protect Israel from a potential large-scale Iranian strike.

The U.S., Italy, Germany, Britain, and France issued a joint statement Monday demanding Iran “stand down its ongoing threats of a military strike against Israel.”