The Biden Administration is preparing for Iran to attack Israel in a matter of days as tensions heighten after the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this week.
Three U.S. officials told Axios that the White House is preparing to counteract a potential Iranian attack on Israel after reports stated the terrorist country will launch a wide-ranging missile attack on Israel.
After the funeral procession for Haniyeh began, Iran vowed retaliation on Israel. The ambush will likely be in accordance with Iran’s April 13 attack on Israel but warned it would be more extensive and far deadlier. The Biden Administration fears it will be more challenging to deploy the same international and regional union of countries that defended the Jewish state from the previous attack because Haniyeh's death has drawn a flurry of anti-Israel feelings across the region.
“We are not talking about separate fronts anymore. This is an open campaign on all fronts, and there is no doubt [the war] has entered a new phase,” Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said.
During the April attack, other countries, including Jordan and Saudi Arabia, assisted Israel in defending itself, shooting down Iranian and Houthi terrorist drones. The countries also allowed the U.S. and Israel to use their region’s airspace to intercept the threats.
The officials confirmed that the U.S. is prepared to defend Israel by mobilizing its military assets in the Gulf, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Red Sea.
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Several other pro-Iranian groups, such as Shia militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen, are also expected to launch an attack on Israel.
“We are prepared for what may come. Israel is in a state of very high readiness for any scenario — on both defense and offense. We will exact a very high price for any act of aggression against us from any quarter whatsoever,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
According to the Pentagon, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will direct “multiple force posture moves” in the Middle East ahead of a potential attack. The U.S. reportedly has several naval assets ready in the region, including a carrier strike group in the Gulf of Oman and assault ships and destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean.
Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh also confirmed that additional U.S. troops could be deployed to the region to help strengthen U.S. forces.
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