Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: The cauldron called the Middle East, where the ongoing Gaza War has already claimed over 40,000 lives since the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, is likely to witness an Armageddon with Israel expecting a “large-scale” attack from Iran, anytime.
According to the media reports on Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday that Iran was making preparations for a large-scale military attack on Israel.
This was revealed by Axios reporter Barak Ravid in a post on X, citing a source with knowledge of the call.
In a statement on Monday, Gallant’s office confirmed the discussion took place overnight, adding he and Austin discussed operational and strategic coordination and the Israeli military’s readiness in the face of Iranian threats.
Meanwhile, Austin ordered the deployment of a guided missile submarine to the Middle East. The US military had announced it would deploy additional fighter jets and Navy warships to the region to bolster Israeli defenses.
On Friday last week, an Iranian Revolutionary Guards deputy commander was quoted as saying by local news agencies that Iran was set to carry out an order by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to “harshly punish” Israel over the assassination of Ismael Haniyeh, the leader of Palestinian militant group Hamas, in Tehran on July 31.
Reports, quoting the Israeli intelligence’s recent revised assessment, said the Iranian strike is likely to occur even before the planned negotiations on the Gaza hostage situation and ceasefire scheduled for August 15.
This attack could jeopardize these crucial talks, which Israeli officials have described as a “now-or-never” opportunity.
According to an Axios report, this new assessment marks a departure from previous intelligence, which suggested Iran had not yet decided on the specifics or timing of its response. The West hoped that international pressure and internal debates might persuade Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to delay or moderate the retaliation.
Gallant informed Austin that Iranian military preparations suggest a significant attack is forthcoming. The Biden administration is, meanwhile, engaged in high-stakes diplomacy to avoid further escalation and secure a ceasefire
Israeli intelligence also anticipates that Hezbollah might launch an initial attack, followed by a direct Iranian assault. These attacks might be far more extensive than previous ones, potentially involving missiles and drones targeting central Israel and civilian areas.
Despite these concerns, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said there are no changes to the Home Front Command’s directives for Israeli citizens. The situation remains fluid, with ongoing internal debates within Iran that could still impact the final decision on their response.