The US is on high alert and preparing for a “significant” attack by Iran that could come within the next week targeting Israeli or American assets in the region, an official told CNN on Friday. The anticipated attack would be in response to Israel’s strike on the Iranian embassy in Syria that killed one of its top commanders.
Senior US officials and their Israeli counterparts believe that an attack by Iran is “inevitable”, the official told CNN. As of Friday, the two governments did not know when or how Iran planned to strike back, the official added.
The airstrike on the Iranian diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital killed a top Iranian Quds Force commander, General Mohammad Reza Zahedi. This was the most high-profile killing since Quds Force commander Major General Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in 2020.
The worst-case scenario that the US is bracing for would be a direct strike on Israel by Iran. This would lead to the Israel-Hamas war broadening into a wider regional conflict and escalate an already tumultuous situation in the Middle East.
Israel is expecting a response from Iran after April 5, the last Friday in the holy month of Ramadan. The day is observed by Iran as Jerusalem Day to express support for the Palestinians.
In preparation for a possible retaliatory attack by Iran, Israeli authorities have intensified GPS jamming efforts, disrupting navigation services across the country, in a bid to ward off possible guided missiles and drones.
Source Agencies
