President of the United States Joe Biden said Iran could attack Israel sooner than later and warned Tehran against it. Biden said the US is devoted to defending Israel.
Addressing presspersons, Biden said, “We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed." When asked about his message to Iran in the wake of the threat, Biden said, “Don’t”. The US President said he wouldn’t be able to reveal secure information and said his expectation was that an attack could come "sooner, rather than later”.
As per US intelligence reports, Israel is preparing for a direct attack from Iran in the next 24 to 48 hours. While plans to attack are being discussed among Iran's top leadership, no final decision has been taken in this regard, according to The Wall Street Journal. The report, quoting an unnamed person, said Israel is preparing for an attack on either the southern or northern part.
"The strike plans are in front of the Supreme Leader and he is still weighing the political risk," an adviser to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said. However, it is unclear whether the attack would come directly from Iran or via one of its proxies.
Meanwhile, the US is beefing up its presence in the Middle East amidst threats of an Iranian strike, The Washington Post reported. The Israel ally has dispatched additional warships and aircraft to the region. The US has also issued a security alert to its embassy staff in Jerusalem, advising them to restrict movement.
The United States is dispatching additional warships and aircraft to the region amid heightened concern about an imminent Iranian strike on Israel and fears of spillover violence directed at U.S. personnel. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has issued a security alert restricting the movement of government employees and their families.
Iran had vowed to retaliate after an airstrike on an Iranian consulate building in the Syrian capital of Damascus killed several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, including two generals. Though Israel did not take responsibility for the attack, Iran believes it was carried out by the Israeli Defence Forces.
