Iran preparing to launch ‘imminent’ missile attack on Israel
Iran is preparing to launch an “imminent” ballistic missile attack on Israel, the White House believes.
Washington said the US was readying its forces to help Israel defend itself against the attack, which officials said would carry “severe consequences”.
It comes after Israel announced it had launched a ground incursion into Lebanon overnight.
An missile launch from Iran would be the second direct attack on Israel since Oct 7.
Hundreds of drones, ballistic and cruise missiles were shot down by Israeli and Western forces in April. Israel responded with a single missile strike on an air defence unit near Iran’s nuclear programme.
Lloyd Austin, the US secretary of defence, warned Iran that it would face “serious consequences” if it decided to launch a direct attack against Israel.
Meanwhile, David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said he had urged restraint when speaking with his Iranian counterpart in recent days.
“None of us want to see a regional war, the price would be huge for the Middle East and it would have a significant effect on the global economy,” Mr Lammy said.
Iran has vowed it will have its revenge for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader, who was assassinated in Tehran in July.
Mr Austin also said the US supported Israeli operations inside Lebanon to dismantle infrastructure that could be used to launch “Oct 7-style attacks” on Israel.
“I reiterated the serious consequences for Iran in the event Iran chooses to launch a direct military attack against Israel,” Mr Austin said.
Like Mr Lammy, he called for a diplomatic solution to the crisis to ensure that civilians on both sides of the border could return home.
He added that the US was “well postured” to defend its allies from Iran and Iran-backed terrorists “and determined to prevent any actor from exploiting tensions or expanding the conflict”.
Despite Washington’s support, Israel was bracing itself on Tuesday for Iranian reprisals. The Israeli military tightened restrictions on civilians living in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The new restrictions, which include limits on gatherings in cities, came hours after it was confirmed Israeli forces entered Lebanon to hit Hezbollah targets in the rugged border region.
Israel also said it was calling up four more reserve brigades for the northern operation.
Meanwhile the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council said that the Islamic Republic’s revenge would not be a one-off strike.
“When responding to the Zionist regime, we must remember that the resistance front is at war, and a single action does not carry much meaning,” Ali Akbar Ahmadian said.
Blood ‘will strengthen jihad’
“The Zionist enemy is in a state of desperation, trying to portray itself as successful through psychological operations based on a few assassination operations, but there is no success for this regime,” he added, referring to the death of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah.
“Last night, they launched a so-called limited ground operation but were immediately forced to retreat.
“The martyrdom of divine leaders does not disrupt Hezbollah’s work, nor will it diminish the fighting power of this movement.
“The blood of this dear martyr will further strengthen the jihad, resistance, and fight against the Zionists.”
The ultimate responsibility for deciding how Iran will respond rests with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader.
In contrast to the UK and UK, his Nato allies, President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said Ankara would stand by Lebanon and support it with all its means after Israel launched raids into Lebanon as part of a “limited” ground incursion.
“We will never leave our Lebanese brothers on their own in these difficult days and will support them with all our means,” he said at the reopening of the Turkish parliament following its summer recess.
