Iran prepares to strike Israel in a powerful attack that may trigger major war in the Middle East

Iran prepares to strike Israel in a powerful attack that may trigger major war in the Middle East

Israel prepares for a direct attack from Iran in the next 24-48 hours. Tehran has not yet made a final decision, but is discussing plans for an attack, The Wall Street Journal said with reference to a source in the Iranian administration.

Officials from the administration of US President Joe Biden noted that Iran was adjusting its plans to launch a major retaliatory strike on Israel not to trigger a regional war that would force Washington to respond.

The conflict escalated due to an Israeli air force strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria. On April 1, the Israeli Air Force struck a building next to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus.

The commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), General Mohammad Reza Zahedi was killed in the strike. He was on the so-called UN blacklist along with 15 other Iranian officials and military personnel whom the world organisation suspected of participating in Iran's nuclear program.

His deputy and commander of the IRGC unit, General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, was another victim of the attack.

The United States rushed to disavow the attack on the Iranian embassy. A representative of the US National Security Council said that Washington did not participate in the Israeli strike nor had it any knowledge about it in advance.

A total of 13 people — seven Iranian military advisers and six Syrian citizens — were killed in the attack on the Iranian diplomatic mission, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic in the Syrian capital Hossein Akbari said.

Tehran immediately said that it would retaliate. The Iranian Permanent Mission to the UN indicated that Tehran reserves the inalienable right to a decisive response.

• Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi threatened an imminent response to Israel's "cowardly crime".
• Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addressed Israel in Hebrew and threatened retaliation for the attack. He stressed that with God's help, Iran will force Israel to repent of its crime.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Tehran's threats. The Israeli side will harm anyone who harms Israel or plans to do so, Netanyahu said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, in his address to the Supreme Leader of Iran in Persian, threatened the Iranian side with a response.

"If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack the Iranian territory," Israel Katz said.

On April 4, Israelinfo reported that Iran was preparing an attack on Israel. According to the publication, current and former US officials fear that the current crisis could trigger a new round of escalation.

Israeli military officials said that Iran was ready to launch a strike after April 12. They believe that Iran may strike military targets, but not residential infrastructure. Israeli authorities are preparing for an attack from both Iran itself and its satellites in the region. Attacks may come from different directions. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Mossad intelligence service have approved a plan to respond to a possible attack.

The Iranian attack will be so powerful it will be difficult for Israel to defend itself, the CBS television channel said citing two American officials.