Iran is preparing to launch ballistic missiles against Israel in retaliation for the attacks on the terror group Hezbollah and the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, United States intelligence indicates.
The White House is preparing to aid Israel’s defense against an expected Iranian attack, according to Axios. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said that the United States warned Israel of an imminent attack, according to The New York Times.
“We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran,” a White House official said, according to Axios.
The U.S. Embassy in Israel told its employees to go home on Tuesday and prepare to enter bomb shelters, according to the Times. It is the first time in months that embassy employees have received such an order.
Israel has ramped up the war against Hezbollah in recent weeks after fending off attacks from across the Lebanon border for nearly a year. The terror group has sent a constant stream of rocket, missile, and drone attacks against Israel since October 8, a day after Hamas’ invasion of southern Israel.
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Israel has killed a number of Hezbollah’s top leaders in recent days, including Nasrallah, who took command of the terror group in 1992 and led it for more than three decades. The terror chief died on Friday in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut.
Israeli troops crossed over into Lebanon on Tuesday, the IDF announced. The move is the beginning of an expected ground invasion to degrade Hezbollah’s military capabilities. Israel also wants to effectuate the return of tens of thousands of Israelis who have been forced out of their homes in northern Israel for nearly a year.
The U.S. Defense Department has ordered several thousand more troops and fighter jets to the Middle East, the department announced on Monday. The additional forces are being sent to deter threats from Iran.
Iran has promised retaliation against Israel for months since the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.