According to two sources familiar with intelligence on the matter, there is a belief in the United States that Iran may retaliate against Israel in the coming days.
U.S. lawmakers have been informed about the intelligence suggesting that Iran has the capability to utilize drones and missiles in order to target “regional assets” belonging to Israel.
U.S. officials think that the attacks could be carried out as a response to Israel’s recent airstrike in Damascus, Syria. This strike resulted in the death of a high-ranking commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and six other individuals. If Iran were to retaliate, officials are concerned that the attacks could escalate the conflict in Gaza.
During a news conference on Wednesday, President Biden stated that there is a looming threat of a major attack on Israel.
During a conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, I reiterated our unwavering commitment to ensuring Israel’s security against the various threats posed by Iran and its proxies. I emphasized that our dedication to this cause is resolute and unyielding. We will employ every possible measure to safeguard Israel’s security.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, recently stated that Israel would face consequences for its actions and that the United States should be held accountable for the attack on the Iranian embassy.
He added that the response would be overwhelming.
Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, took to the social media platform X, issuing a stern warning to Iran.
In a recent statement, Katz emphasized that if Iran were to launch an attack from its own territory, Israel would not hesitate to respond in kind and strike back within the borders of Iran. This assertion underscores Israel’s commitment to defending itself and its willingness to take decisive action in the face of aggression.
On Wednesday, Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, echoed similar sentiments.
“We are fully prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to any offensive actions against Israel, regardless of the location in the Middle East,” stated Gallant during his visit to an Iron Dome battery in Israel’s northern region.
One U.S. official suggests that Iran may retaliate in a proportional manner, potentially targeting an Israeli diplomatic facility similar to the one that was struck in Syria on Monday. Alternatively, the official notes that Iran could opt to directly strike at Israel.
According to another source knowledgeable about the intelligence, it was believed that Israel’s “regional assets” were under significant threat.
There is a lack of clarity when it comes to threats to U.S. assets. For a while now, officials have been worried about the possibility of Iranian-backed militias once again targeting U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria.
The series of attacks came to an end on February 4th after the United States launched airstrikes in response to the loss of three service members.
U.S. officials assure that there are currently no specific threats to troops in the region. However, the underlying concern persists that an attack from Iran could potentially escalate the already fragile situation in the region.