Tehran will likely activate its proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, to attack Israel.
By World Israel News Staff
Israel will launch devastating strikes against Iran’s sensitive nuclear development sites, should Tehran directly attack Israel, according to media reports.
Last week, an airstrike widely attributed to Israel killed a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general in Damascus, the assassination of the highest-ranking Iranian military official since Qassem Soleymani’s killing in 2020.
Iran is thought to be gearing up for a retaliatory strike against Israel, with the IDF cancelling leave for combat units and the Iranian army put on high alert.
Elaph News reported that the Israeli air force has been carrying out drills in recent days aimed at simulating strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and infrastructure.
However, U.S. intelligence indicated that the likelihood of Iran directly attacking Israel is low, because such a move would lead to a dramatic escalation in the ongoing shadow conflict between the two countries and possibly trigger U.S. intervention.
Tehran will likely activate its proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, to attack Israel.
According to a recent CNN report, both Jerusalem and Washington expect that Iran will launch a number of drone and rocket strikes on the Jewish State, albeit at the hands of their proxies, in order to give Tehran plausible deniability.
Also on Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant regarding the ongoing fighting in the Strip and ceasefire and hostage release negotiations.
“Gallant provided details about the IDF’s withdrawal from portions of Gaza and the future of Israel’s campaign against Hamas,” read a statement from the Pentagon.
“Austin voiced his commitment to supporting the unconditional return of all hostages and expressed hope that ongoing negotiations would produce a pause in hostilities.”
The U.S. official “also affirmed unwavering US support for Israel’s defense in light of threats posed by Iran and its proxy network.”