Axios: the Israeli army is preparing for a US military strike on Iran
Israel is preparing for a US military strike on Iran, writes Axios. The country's armed forces are working out scenarios of military actions in case Tehran retaliates by attacking the territory of the Jewish state directly or through its allies in Syria, the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. An adviser to Iran's Ayatollah Hossein Dehghan warns that a US attack could trigger a "full-scale war" in the middle East.
The Israel defense forces recently received orders to prepare for a U.S. strike on Iran. This may happen before the head of the White house, Donald trump, leaves his post, the Axios information resource quotes senior Israeli officials as saying.
Measures to ensure the readiness of the Israel defense Forces (IDF) for military action are related to a possible retaliatory strike by Iran on Israeli territory directly or through Iranian allies in Syria, the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
However, they are concerned that this time will not be enough for full training. Therefore, the Israel defense Forces began to carry out preparations, assuming that an attack by American forces on Iran is very likely.
Last week, the New York Times reported that trump, in a meeting with senior members of his Cabinet responsible for national security, raised the issue of a possible attack on a uranium enrichment facility in the city of Netenz in the heart of Iran. Trump returned to the topic after being briefed on the contents of an International atomic energy Agency report on Iran's growing stockpile of enriched uranium.
Senior officials, including Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of state Mike Pompeo, have warned of the risks of escalation across the region. As a result, according to those present at the meeting, trump was convinced that it would be too risky to launch a direct attack on Iran, but the US President also considered other options for influencing Tehran.
It is also worth noting that Israeli defense Minister benny Gantz has spoken twice in the past two weeks with Christopher Miller, the acting head of the Pentagon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also met with crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. According to Israeli officials, one of the main issues discussed was Iran.
Haaretz reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also flew to Saudi Arabia to meet with Salman and Pompeo. According to sources, the meeting, which took place in the city of Neom, was also attended by Mossad chief Yossi Cohen. The Israeli Prime Minister's office declined to comment. The flight of his plane was seen on flight tracking sites.
A senior adviser to the Saudi government confirmed the meeting between Netanyahu and Salman and their discussion of the Iran issue, but said no agreement was reached, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Last week, Pompeo visited Israel and several Gulf countries to discuss the Iran issue.
The us foreign Minister spoke about the trump administration's middle East strategy, which focuses on Iran as the "Central threat in the region" and assumes maximum pressure on Tehran to limit its ability to support militias in Iraq, Lebanon and Syria.
The head of the US Central command (CENTCOM), General Frank McKenzie, said that "Iran's destabilizing actions are still taking place and are even increasing in scope" compared to 2019.
Moreover, when Pompeo met with Gulf leaders, the US Central command announced that the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers had completed a " short - and long-range mission to the middle East to deter aggression and reassure American partners and allies."
Hossein Dehghan, an adviser to Ayatollah Seyid Ali Khamenei and a possible candidate in the upcoming presidential election, told the Associated Press last week that a US military strike on Iran could trigger a" full-scale war " in the middle East.
Raphael Fakhrutdinov
