Tipsheet

Israel Braces for a Large Scale Attack

UPDATE II: President Biden made remarks about the situation Friday afternoon. 

UPDATE: A Hezbollah attack launched from Lebanon was thwarted Friday afternoon. 


***Original post*** 

Israel is bracing for a large scale attack from Iran, one officials in Washington D.C. and Tel Aviv have warned the Islamic Republic against. 

"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Michael 'Erik' Kurilla arrived in Israel on April 11 amid increasingly bellicose threats from Iran. The Tehran regime has threatened to 'punish' the Jewish state for an airstrike in Damascus on April 1 that killed an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander. Kurilla will meet with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi during the multi-day visit," the Foundation for Defense of Democracies reports.

For a week, media has been reporting about a potential attack and bolstered concern in the region as the Israeli Defense Forces continue their war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Iran is attempting to isolate Israel in the region with warnings to the U.S. about getting involved in a defense of the country. 

On Tuesday President Joe Biden said U.S. support for Israel is "iron clad" in the wake of Iran's new threats, just days after capitulating to Hamas and demanding a ceasefire from the IDF without hostage releases. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security alert late Thursday for U.S. citizens in Israel and the West Bank. 

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem reminds U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness as security incidents often take place without warning.  The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events.

Out of an abundance of caution, U.S. government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Be’er Sheva areas until further notice.  U.S. government personnel are authorized to transit between these three areas for personal travel.

This is provided for your information as you make your own security plans.

In response to security incidents and without advance notice, the U.S. Embassy may further restrict or prohibit U.S. government employees and their family members from traveling to certain areas of Israel (including the Old City of Jerusalem) and the West Bank.