Israel holds alert level, citing signs of impending US attack on Iran

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Israeli military and security leaders in Tel Aviv have rejected calls to lower the heightened state of alert that Israel has maintained for more than a week, citing assessments that a U.S. strike against Iran is inevitable but requires further preparations.

Sources familiar with the matter said recent talks between Israeli and U.S. officials, including meetings held by Mossad chief David Barnea in Miami, indicate that the attack is expected to take place soon.

The issue is on the agenda of a special Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside the Gaza file. 

Reports say preparations for a strike on Iran have reached a point of no return, as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln sails from the South China Sea toward the Middle East and U.S. bombers land at the joint U.S.-British base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Israel’s military leadership continues to oversee preparations by the air force to respond to any potential Iranian retaliation against Israel. 

The focus remains on securing all fronts, from Gaza to Lebanon, amid assessments that escalation on the Iranian front would inevitably increase risks along these borders.