TEL AVIV: Israel said on Tuesday it was ready to counter any attack from Iran as a US official warned of an imminent ballistic missile strike from Iran, after Israeli raids against Hezbollah in Lebanon sent tensions soaring.
The Israeli ground offensive across Lebanon’s northern border came despite growing calls for de-escalation after a week of deadly air strikes that killed hundreds in Lebanon, including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
A senior White House official said on Tuesday that “the United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel”.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant discussed the potential threat from Iran with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Israeli military reported that while no aerial threat from Iran has been detected “for now,” forces are prepared to “defend and attack.”
The tensions surged after Israel launched ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at Hezbollah, following a week of intense air strikes.
Despite assertions from the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon that the Israeli operations did not constitute a “ground incursion,” the Israeli military confirmed conducting “targeted ground raids” across the northern border. However, details regarding the scope and duration of these operations remain vague.
Israel has also carried out air strikes in southern Beirut, Damascus, and Gaza, raising fears of a broader conflict.
The Iranian government has vowed retaliation for Nasrallah’s death, claiming it would lead to Israel’s “destruction,” yet it has indicated that it will not deploy troops directly to confront Israel.
The potential for an Iranian missile attack adds to the volatility, with US officials indicating they are “actively supporting defensive preparations” for Israel. The Pentagon has increased its military presence in the region, deploying additional troops and fighter jets.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it targeted Israel’s Sde Dov air base near Tel Aviv on Tuesday in retaliation for Israeli attacks on civilians in Lebanon, in the second operation Tuesday it dedicated to its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah said its fighters launched “a salvo of Fadi-4 rockets at the Sde Dov air base in Tel Aviv”, adding the attack came in defence of Lebanon and “in response to the targeting of Lebanese civilians and the massacres that the enemy carried out”.
This operation was dedicated to Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs last week.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens were activated across central Israel, signaling a heightened state of alert. The Israeli military confirmed the sirens but did not provide specifics regarding the locations affected.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese state-run National News Agency reported Israeli air strikes on two sites in southern Beirut.
World leaders have called for an urgent ceasefire to prevent further suffering, particularly as the humanitarian situation in Lebanon deteriorates. Over 1,000 people have reportedly died since mid-September due to the ongoing Israeli air strikes, prompting Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati to appeal for over $400 million in international aid for displaced citizens.
Some Lebanese citizens express unwavering support for Hezbollah despite political opposition. Youssef Amir, displaced from southern Lebanon, stated, “I have lost my home and relatives… but all of that is a sacrifice for Lebanon, for Hezbollah.”
