Israel preparing for Iranian attack ‘within 24 to 48 hours’

US intelligence source expects attack on north or south of country as early as Friday or Saturday

Israel is preparing for a direct attack from Iran in the next 24 to 48 hours, a US intelligence source has said.
Israel is expecting an attack on the north or south of the country as early as Friday or Saturday, according to unnamed officials quoted by The Wall Street Journal.
A US official cited intelligence reports indicating an Iranian strike “possibly on Israeli soil” could happen within days.
If it does go ahead, it will be the first attack in a decades-long shadow war between the two countries, which have always been anxious to avoid a direct confrontation.
Iran has tried to stay on the sidelines of Israel’s growing conflict with its proxy group Hezbollah, on the northern border.
But an air strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria last week that killed a top Iranian general appeared to have crossed a red line to which Tehran feels compelled to respond.
Iran is concerned that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) could shoot down the missiles and order devastating strikes on its infrastructure in retaliation.
According to Politico, Iran is planning a larger-than-usual aerial attack featuring a mix of missiles and drone strikes, but it intends to limit its strike to avoid provoking a US response.
Iran is “looking to calibrate it, so they essentially don’t overplay their hand”, an official told the publication.
Tehran’s options for retaliating following the Damascus attack range from using sophisticated medium-range missiles in a direct attack on Israel to ordering Hezbollah to carry out a significant strike on Israel and targeting Israel’s diplomatic missions abroad.
On Thursday night, Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesman, warned Iran against a direct strike, saying an “attack from Iranian territory would be clear evidence of Iran’s intentions to escalate the Middle East and stop hiding behind the proxies”.
The IDF and Mossad have already approved contingency plans to hit targets in Iran in case Iran decides to launch air strikes on Israel, according to Israeli media.
There were no visible signs of panic in Israel on Friday as shoppers in Jerusalem travelled to get groceries for their sabbath dinner and families enjoyed a sunny afternoon at outdoor cafes.
Israel officials have not issued any warnings for citizens in light of an impending attack, and an IDF spokesman last week went as far as to dissuade citizens from panic-buying toilet paper and power generators, insisting that Israel had the military capabilities to defend itself.
There did not appear to be any disruptions in the work of diplomatic missions in Israel, including the US Embassy, which was operating as normal on Friday.
The embassy issued a security alert to its citizens on Thursday, however, saying that embassy staff and their families have been advised not to travel outside Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be’er Sheva until further notice.
In a phone call on Thursday, Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, assured his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant of “ironclad US support for Israel’s defence in the face of growing threats from Iran and its regional proxies”.
A top US general in charge of command in the Middle East visited Israel on Thursday to coordinate a possible response.