Iran or its proxies are "increasingly likely" to launch an attack on Israel in the upcoming days, the White House warned, citing intelligence. The potential attack could “happen as soon as this week,” spokesperson John F Kirby announced. The warning comes despite the Israeli military’s reported “peak readiness” in anticipation of a retaliatory attack.
The Middle East is on high alert after Iran pledged to retaliate against Israel for two recent strikes. On July 31, Israel assassinated Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh in Tehran, followed by an airstrike on Hezbollah's senior commander, Fuad Shukr, in Lebanon.
As tensions simmer, five world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, urged Iran to "stand down", issuing a joint statement supporting ceasefire efforts between Israel and Hamas. The US, UK, France, Germany and Italy are working to de-escalate tensions and prevent further violence.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz took direct steps to address the crisis, each contacting Iran's newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian to control this military escalation.
Discussions on a ceasefire, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, are expected to resume on Thursday. However, the White House spokesperson stated that if Iran were to launch an attack, these discussions might face delays.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has increased patrols over neighbouring Lebanon and continued to strike targets daily. Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari announced increased air patrols over Lebanon, home to Hezbollah, and ongoing strikes on targets to "remove threats".
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, conducted a situational assessment with top military leaders, focusing on maintaining a high level of readiness for both "offence and defence."
The US Pentagon has also reinforced its commitment to the region. Pentagon spokesman General Patrick Ryder confirmed that Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III ordered the deployment of the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia to the Middle East, alongside additional combat aircraft and missile-defence ships.