World on edge: Global focus shifts to potential Iranian and Hezbollah retaliation

Report by Ahmad Abdallah, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

The world remains on high alert as Iran and its allies prepare to respond to Israel's recent high-profile assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders. Both parties are gathering military and political support in anticipation of this retaliation.

Recent developments include the arrival of General Michael Kurilla, a prominent US military commander responsible for American forces in the Middle East, according to Axios. 

Although Kurilla's visit was planned before the recent Israeli escalation, his presence is now focused on rallying US allies to support Israel against potential attacks from Iran and Hezbollah. This visit follows the United States' recent reinforcement of its military presence in the region, including additional warships and fighter jets.

Kurilla's mission will not be easy. In addition to visiting Israel, he will travel to several Gulf countries that have previously assisted in countering Iranian threats, as well as Jordan. Jordan played a crucial role in the April 13 attack by intercepting Iranian drones and allowing US and Israeli aircraft to use its airspace for intercepting Iranian projectiles. The US hopes for similar cooperation if necessary.

However, Axios reports that Washington is concerned about the difficulty of mobilizing the same international and regional coalition that supported Israel during the previous Iranian attack due to the intense regional backlash following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, which has inflamed anti-Israel sentiments.

Amidst these preparations, Iran and Hezbollah are intensifying their media campaigns, signaling an imminent response. US and Israeli officials anticipate that this response could occur early Monday. Two potential scenarios are being considered.

The first scenario being discussed is an expanded version of the April 13 attack, which could involve a broader assault by Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and resistance factions from Iraq and Yemen, targeting more sensitive sites than those struck in April, according to Axios.

The second could involve attacks on Israeli missions abroad, which is supported by Israeli warnings issued to its overseas diplomatic missions to adopt heightened security measures, as reported by Israeli broadcasting services.