Israel prepares for multiple scenarios, warns of wider regional escalation from Iran to Lebanon

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian 

Until the final moments before his departure for New York, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the level of security tensions, convening all security agencies for an assessment of what he described as an impending regional war centered on Iran. 

The move comes against the backdrop of threats issued by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The messaging coincided with remarks by a senior Israeli officer, who outlined three scenarios that Tel Aviv is preparing for.

The first scenario involves a U.S. attack on Iran, followed by an Iranian response against Israel, which would then be met with Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

The second, dubbed “Roaring Lion 2,” involves another joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.

The third would see the Israeli military act alone against Iran.

Tel Aviv claims that what it calls “flashpoints” could trigger an escalation stretching from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon, warning that the Middle East is close to a broader escalation whose repercussions could affect the entire region.

Meanwhile, Israel said its 210th Division, deployed in Syria, is also prepared to launch a rapid operation once intelligence is received indicating that hostile elements to Israel are moving in the region.

At the same time, Israel’s air and naval forces, particularly its missile boat fleet and submarines, have been placed on high alert.