Despite Western Pressure, Israel Resolute To Respond

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said Monday he was concerned about Israel possibly targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.

Grossi told reporters in New York that Iran closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday over “security considerations.”

While they reopened on Monday, he kept IAEA inspectors away “until we see that the situation is completely calm.”

“We are going to resume tomorrow,” Grossi added. “This has not had an impact on our inspection activity.”

Asked about the possibility of an Israel strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Grossi said, “We are always concerned about this possibility.”

Grossi also urged “extreme restraint.”

Israel’s Channel 12 has reported that the Israeli Air Force is completing preparations for its response to Iran’s attack. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Iranian Air Defense Forces have been placed on high alert.

The US was not informed by Iran in advance about its attack on Israel, the Pentagon said on Monday, adding that Washington did not seek a conflict with Tehran.

Israel will respond to Iran's weekend missile and drone attack on its territory, the military chief of staff said on Monday.

"This launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles, and drones into Israeli territory will be met with a response," Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said, speaking from the Nevatim air force base in southern Israel, which sustained some damage in the attack.

Speaking after Israel’s War cabinet met for several hours, an official -- who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks -- said Israeli decision-makers believe it's important for any response to closely follow the attack. Several diplomatic and military options were examined during the cabinet meeting, the official said.

“Any response will be coordinated with the Americans,” the official added.

Opposition Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman says that the US recognizes Israel has no alternative but to hit back at Iran for the Saturday attack, and that Israel must seek “maximal coordination” with the US in doing so.

Liberman told Channel 12 Israel was only able to repel the Iranian missile and drone attack with the help of the Americans — including US interceptions, and crucially, US intel and early warning capabilities.

He added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited him for a security briefing, but the timing has not yet been finalized. He says he will of course attend, given that this is “a time of war.” Israel is looking at options that would “send a message” but not cause casualties, he said.

According to The Washington Post, the war cabinet has decided to hit Iran back hard without rankling international allies. Citing an unnamed official, it said the options include a potential strike on a facility in Tehran or a cyberattack.

“Everybody agrees that Israel must respond,” the official said. “How to respond, when to respond, is the question.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday he would soon speak with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on how to prevent escalation in the region after Iran's drone and missile attack.

"I will also shortly be speaking to Prime Minister Netanyahu to express our solidarity with Israel in the face of this attack, and to discuss how we can prevent further escalation," Sunak said in a statement to parliament.

"All sides must show restraint," he added.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Sunday that Israel has no choice but to respond to the missile and drone attack, a US official and another source briefed on the call told Axios.

The war cabinet has wrapped up its meeting scheduled to discuss Israel’s response to Iran’s attack.

Channel 12 reported that several options were discussed during the Monday session, with each of them being a “painful” retaliatory response against Iran but one that doesn’t spark a regional war.

The war cabinet also is aiming to choose a reaction to Saturday night’s Iranian missile and drone attack that won’t be blocked by the US, the network said.

While supporters of the Islamic Republic are celebrating Saturday’s missile attack on Israel, most ordinary Iranians are deeply concerned about the economic consequences of further escalation and possibility of a full-scale war.

However, there are numerous graffiti in Tehran calling for an Israeli attack.

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Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke to Annalena Baerbock by phone on Monday and said, "The Islamic Republic aims to warn Israel of the consequences of crossing red lines".

“Tehran does not Favour increased tension, but it will respond instantly and stronger than before if Israel retaliates.”

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson stated on Monday that the US attempted to prevent the Iranian government from attacking Israel in a bombardment which saw over 350 projectiles launched on Saturday night.

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Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský announced Monday the summoning of the Iranian ambassador, Majid Ghafelebashi, emphasizing that Iran has crossed all boundaries with its attack on Israel. Lipavský condemned the Iranian regime for endangering regional security, alleging Russian complicity in the aggression.

"The Czech diplomacy made it clear to Iran that it has crossed all the lines by attacking Israel," Lipavsky said. "The Iranian regime is endangering the security situation in the region. All this with the tacit approval of its Russian friend."

France and Germany have also summoned Tehran's envoys over the attack.

The German Foreign Ministry says, “Iran has brought the Middle East to the brink of the abyss" with its attack on Israel.

“This unprecedented escalation has shown that the region stands with Israel in containing Iran’s dangerous behavior. Now, we must diplomatically secure Israel's defensive victory.”

Israel has vowed to "exact a price" from Iran in retaliation for the large-scale aerial assault on the Jewish state this weekend.

Ahead of a War Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Israel's centrist minister, Benny Gantz, vowed to "build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran in the fashion and timing that is right for us."

The cabinet meeting ended without any statement but according to Israeli media only the timing and extent of the retaliation is in question.

"Right now, they certainly are seriously considering direct strikes on Iran, because that is a clearest path back to deterrence," according to Ryan Bohl, senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at risk intelligence platform Rane Network. But Israel will need to strike a delicate balance, he noted, highlighting that "they don't want an overt conflict with Iran."

The less risky tactic is a "covert escalation," where the Israelis will be "looking for ways where they can get their shadow war back into the shadows with greater intensity," Bohl told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" on Monday.

"Strategically, I think you will get a movement from Israel within a week," said David Roche, president and global strategist at Independent Strategy, who does not expect Israeli forces to attack Iranian oil facilities as it would "displease all of their supporters" like the United States.

Roche said Israel's immediate response may be moderate, but he did not rule out that an "extreme retaliation" may still be in the cards in about a year or more from now. "If you got the most extreme form of retaliation — which I don't think you will get now — but you will get inevitably within a year or 18 months, against Iran's nuclear capacity, then I think you're into a market meltdown," he told CNBC on Monday.

The German Foreign Ministry has summoned the Iranian Ambassador to Berlin, Mahmoud Farazandeh, over Iran's attack on Israel, according to a foreign ministry spokesperson in Berlin.

"The meeting is currently taking place," added the spokesperson.

The Italian Embassy in Tehran has announced that its consulate will be closed to the public from April 14 until further notice. The embassy said that essential consular services for Italian citizens will continue to be provided.

The closure comes after the German Embassy in Tehran issued a warning to its citizens in Iran that the security situation in the region and Iran is likely to worsen.

Several countries, including France, Canada, Australia, the US have warned their citizens against travel to Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Iran, amid heightened tensions.

In its attack on Israel, Iran launched more than 300 killer drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles on Israeli territory.

Contrary to the Islamic Republic’s armed forces chief, who claimed the attack “achieved all its objectives,” the IDF spokesperson reports that 99% of the threats were intercepted by the air defense system, resulting in negligible impact.

Read more to know how Israel’s defense shield system intercepted 99% of Iran’s missiles.

The European Union's foreign policy chief said on Monday the Middle East stood "on the edge of the cliff" and called for de-escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

"We're on the edge of the cliff and we have to move away from it," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told Spanish radio station Onda Cero. "We have to step on the brakes and reverse gear."

Borrell said he expected a response from Israel to the unprecedented aerial attack by Iran but hoped it would not spark further escalation.

He said there was "profound division" within the Israel's right-wing governing coalition between hardliners seeking fierce retaliation and a "more moderate and sensible" faction.

That faction advocates for retaliation, Borrell said, "but in a way that avoids a response to the response".

Borrell, who spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian late on Sunday, said the EU needed to have the best possible relations with Iran despite the sanctions the bloc has imposed on the Islamic Republic over its disputed nuclear energy programme and other issues.

"It's in everyone's interest that Iran does not become a nuclear power and that the Middle East is pacified," he noted.

No pre-arranged agreement was made with any country prior to Iran's retaliatory attack against Israel, Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Regional officials, including Iran's foreign minister, said Tehran had given notice to neighbouring countries days before its attack.

However, ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani cautioned that no pre-arranged deal was made with any country regarding how Tehran would approach its military response to Israel.

Israel's military announced that life would resume as normal on Monday, in the wake of the Iranian missile and drone onslaught.

Schools were ordered to return and gatherings were given the green light in safe areas not affected by the Gaza war and Hezbollah bombardments in Israel's north.

"Following a situational assessment, it was determined that as of 00:00 Israel time tonight (Monday), changes will be made to the Home Front Command’s defensive guidelines," the announcement from the IDF said.

Initial warnings had braced the country for several days of possible strikes with many in the country working from home and postponing meetings ready for new instructions.

Iran's judiciary under the control of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has taken legal action against a number of newspapers and influential journalists who failed to reiterate the official rhetoric regarding the attack on Israel in their publications.

Prominent 'reformist' commentator Abbas Abdi, investigative journalist Hossein Dehbashi, and whistle-blower Yashar Soltani, who recently exposed a prominent cleric's corruption, have been accused of “compromising national security" following their comments regarding Iran's attack on Israel.

The Iranian government launched over 350 drones and missiles into Israel on Saturday in retaliation for an airstrike on its consulate compound in Damascus on April 1, for which Iran blamed Israel. Several members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including two top commanders, were killed in the attack.

President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would not participate in any Israeli counter-offensive against Iran, U.S. officials said on Sunday.

In a statement issued late on Saturday following the attacks, Biden said he told Netanyahu that Israel had "demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks."

Biden did not say in the statement if he and Netanyahu discussed a possible Israeli response or potential U.S. involvement.

"We believe Israel has freedom of action to protect itself and defend itself, in Syria or elsewhere... That's a long-standing policy and that remains, but no we would not envision ourselves participating in such a thing," one senior U.S. administration official said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Iran's attack on Israel in separate calls with Jordanian, Saudi Arabian, Egyptian and Turkish counterparts on Sunday, the State Department said.

Blinken reiterated that the US does not seek escalation and will continue to support Israel's defense.

In his call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, he also discussed the need to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, protect Palestinian civilians and achieve an immediate ceasefire that secures the release of all hostages, the State Department said in a series of statements.

Amir Saeid Iravani, the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, defended the attack on Israel as a response to the airstrike on its Damascus consulate on April 1.

He reiterated that Tehran would use its right to respond proportionately if the US initiates military operations against Iran.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said the attack showed the true nature of the Islamic Republic to the world, urging international action “to stop Iran.”

“As Iran’s mask has fallen, the world’s complacency must also fall.”

In addition to Iran’s attack on Israel, the representative of the Switzerland, Pascale Baeriswyl, condemned Iran’s seizure of a cargo ship “affiliated with” Israel near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.

IRGC's Navy Special Force took control of the Portuguese-flagged vessel after the heliborne Iranian forces landed on its deck. The incident took place 50 nautical miles (92 km) northeast of the Fujairah, UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced.

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Ambassador Barbara Woodward said at the UNSC meeting that the UK will continue to stand up for Israel's security and that of regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq, after Iran attack.

“Iran’s actions do nothing to advance the prospects for peace in Israel and Gaza,” she highlighted.

France's representative to the UN, Nathalie Broadhurst, said, "By deciding on such an unprecedented action, Iran is taking a new level in its destabilizing actions and is taking the risk of a military escalation for which it would be responsible. We call on Iran and its allies to finally and without further delay cease their destabilizing activities throughout the region."

US Deputy Representative to UN Robert Wood emphasized that the UN Security Council has an obligation to not let Iran's actions go unanswered. He added that US in coming days will explore additional measures to hold Iran accountable.

Highlighting that Iran will be held responsible if Iran’s proxies take action against the US or Israeli targets, he added that UN Security Council must unequivocally condemn Iran's aggressive actions and call for Iran and its partners to cease their attacks.

“It (Iran) launched over 300 munitions, including more than 100 ballistic missiles and land attack cruise missiles at Israel, as well as explosive unmanned aerial vehicles. Iran's reckless actions not only posed a threat to populations in Israel, but also to other UN member states in the region, including Jordan and Iraq. The Security Council has an obligation to not let Iran's actions go unanswered."

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for maximum restraint on Sunday after Iran's attack on Israel, as he reminded members of the world body that acts of reprisal involving the use of force are barred under international law.

"The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate," Guterres told a meeting of the UN Security Council.

The IDF says a “suspicious aerial target” — believed to be a drone launched from Yemen — was downed by a ship-mounted Iron Dome system, known as C-Dome, in the Eilat area.

The target entered Israeli airspace from the direction of the Red Sea, and was tracked by the military until it was successfully shot down by one of the Navy’s Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, the IDF says.

"We were attacked last night from four corners of the Middle East with proxies shooting at us, firing missiles and ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles," Israel's President Isaac Herzog has told Sky News.

"We are peace seekers. We went to peace with our neighbours time and time again. Unfortunately, it all started on the 7th of October when a proxy of Iran, Hamas, led an unbelievably brutal massacre against Israeli citizens and the rest is history. We know it. So we should put it in perspective."

Leaders of the G7 nations condemned Iran's attack on Israel and said on Sunday that they would work to try to stabilise the situation in the Middle East.

"With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilization of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided," a statement issued by G7 president Italy said after a video conference involving the group's leaders.

"We, the Leaders of the G7, unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms Iran's direct and unprecedented attack against Israel. Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel. Israel, with the help of its partners, defeated the attack. We express our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security."

"We will continue to work to stabilize the situation and avoid further escalation. In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilizing initiatives."

An article carried by state-run Iranian Students News Agency, ISNA, says Tehran’s attack last night targeted the Nevatim air base and a military facility on Mount Hermon.

According to the unsigned column, which seemingly reflects the regime’s party line on the attack, Nevatim was targeted because, Tehran alleges, a deadly assault on the country’s consulate in Damascus earlier this month was launched from there.

It says a military intelligence site on Mount Hermon was also a target, and that the attack was also meant as a response to years of Israeli attacks on Iranian positions in Syria.

An article carried by state-run Iranian Students News Agency says Tehran’s attack last night targeted the Nevatim air base and a military facility on Mount Hermon.

According to the column, which seemingly reflects the regime’s party line on the attack, Nevatim was targeted because, Tehran alleges, a deadly assault on the country’s consulate in Damascus earlier this month was launched from there.

It says a military intelligence site on Mount Hermon was also a target, and that the attack was also meant as a response to years of Israeli attacks on Iranian positions in Syria.

“Israeli cities were not supposed to be targeted in this operation, although Israeli citizens experienced the worst night of their lives,” the column claims, not mentioning the small Bedouin girl who was the lone Israeli wounded, according to Israel.

Instead, ISNA claims that “Iran’s missiles hit the predetermined targets. However, Israel is trying to downplay the damage of this attack.” “This operation raised the deterrence level of the Islamic Republic of Iran and even the repeated calls of Western officials to dissuade Iran from responding to Israel were useless,” it says.

Israel has an opportunity to form a strategic alliance against Iran after its mass drone and missile attack was jointly repelled, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday.

The attack was repelled together with the United States and other countries, Gallant said in a statement.

"We have an opportunity to establish a strategic alliance against this grave threat by Iran which is threatening to mount nuclear explosives on these missiles, which could be an extremely grave threat."

President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would not participate in any Israeli counter-offensive against Iran, a White House official said on Sunday.

In a statement issued late on Saturday following the attacks, Biden said he told Netanyahu that Israel had "demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks."

White House National Security spokesman John Kirby tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the US isn’t seeking “a wider war in the region” after it assisted Israel to defend itself against Iran’s attack yesterday evening.

“We don’t seek an escalation,” Kirby says, but adds that US President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their call last night that the US will continue to support Israel’s right to self-defense.

The attack exposed Iran's true colors, he said in an exclusive interview, underlining that when Tehran’s proxies failed to achieve their objectives, the Iranian regime resorted to a direct assault.

Hagari highlighted that 99 percent of Iran’s projectiles were intercepted, debunking the Islamic Republic’s claims about hitting targets in Israel. Hagari also pointed out that the only place Iran’s ballistic missiles reached was Nevatim Airbase, where “a small number” of missiles caused “a minor damage” and did not even halt the operation of the base. “We can show it live” that Israeli planes are departing from the base patrolling Israel’s airspace.

“Zero UAVs and cruise missiles entered Israel,” he said, confirming earlier reports that most of the projectiles had been intercepted before entering the Israeli airspace. “Only a handful of ballistic missiles” hit the Nevatim airbase and its surrounding areas. “This is all their capability.”

Differentiating between “the regime in Iran” and “the people of Iran,” Hagari said that the IRGC and its extraterritorial Quds force wasted a significant amount of Iranians' money on the attack. He further criticized Iran's misuse of resources, stating that the attack again highlighted how Iranian public funds are squandered on terrorism, rather than being invested in the nation's development and its citizens' well-being.

He also addressed the propaganda campaign by the regime about the attack, calling on the Islamic Republic not to "sell lies and fake videos to the people of Iran.” “You are wasting their money and their resources.”

The Iranian people know that the regime is lying, he pointed that, adding that the building targeted in Iran's embassy compound in Damascus was a base for the IRGC-Quds Force and not a diplomatic building. How come no diplomat was killed in the attack on the so-called consulate building, he asked.

Israel and all its partners are ready to defend Israel against Iran and its proxy forces, he said. “The strategic partnership between Israel and the US is ironclad,” he highlighted, referring to US President Joe Biden’s remarks.

Israel’s response will be demonstrably forceful, Hagari asserted, emphasizing action over rhetoric. "We will take all necessary measures to safeguard our national interests and the security of the Israeli people."

An Israeli source told Iran International that the US prevented Israel from launching the attack it had planned in response to the Iranian strike "at the last minute" on Saturday night.

Apparently, Israel had decided to initiate its response immediately after the Iranian attack, but the US was opposed to the plan and prevented it, the source said.

Iran notified its neighbors of its attack on Israel 72 hours in advance, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian says.

“About 72 hours prior to our operations, we informed our friends and neighbors in the region that Iran’s response against Israel was certain, legitimate, and irrevocable,” Amirabdollahian says at a press conference.

He noted that Tehran informed Washington that its attacks against Israel will be "limited" and "for self-defence."

Iranian regime’s direct retaliation against Israel from Iran’s soil establishes beyond any doubt that the ruling clerics are reeking in desperation in the face of Israel’s humiliating April 1 strike.

Israel, escalating its attacks against Iranian targets in Syria, raised the bar and hit a building in Iran’s embassy compound in Damascus, killing seven IRGC officers, who were key in Tehran’s proxy operations. For 13 days, Khamenei was facing a Hobson’s choice.

Read the full opinion piece...

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says Israel has shown that it is strong and can defend itself by repelling an Iranian attack overnight together with allies.

"The worldwide condemnation and the important support of the USA, Great Britain and also from the region shows two things very clearly: Iran is isolated with its aggressive behavior, with which it wants to destabilize an entire region, and Israel's capabilities have shown that Israel is strong, Israel can protect itself."

"The Iranian regime has knowingly led the entire Middle East to the edge of the abyss. Last night, the Iranian regime fired over 300 rockets, drones and cruise missiles at Israel. We condemn the direct Iranian attack on Israeli territory in the strongest possible terms. Germany stands in full solidarity with Israel.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz also warned Iran against further attacks on Israel on Sunday as the escalating conflict in the Middle East overshadowed the start of his three-day tour of China.

"We will do everything to stop a further escalation," Scholz told reporters. "We can only warn everyone, especially Iran, against continuing this way."

The intelligence unit of the IRGC issued a statement on Sunday warning against any pro-Israeli posts by Iranian social media users, state media reported.

Some Iranians, inside and outside the country, have voiced their support for Israel after Iran launched an overnight drone and missile attack.

Israel's successful defense against last night's missile and drone attack reportedly came at a high cost, exceeding$1.3 billion. This sum encompasses expenses on jet fuel, missile interceptors, and other resources employed by the Israeli Air Defense Array.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has hailed the IRGC's attack, warning that Iran's response to any retaliation by Israel will be "significantly heavier."

“Last night, your zealous and courageous children in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), with the cooperation and coordination of all the defense and political sectors of the country, turned a new page in the history of Iran’s authority and taught a lesson to the Zionist enemy,” he said in a statement.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday in a post on X that Iran has no intention of prolonging its "defensive operations" but it will not hesitate to safeguard its legitimate interests against any new aggression.

Pope Francis urged Iran and Israel on Sunday to avoid actions that could feed "a spiral of violence" that risked dragging the Middle East deeper into conflict.

"Enough war, enough attacks, enough violence. Yes to dialogue, yes to peace," he told pilgrims in St Peter's Square.

Iran's foreign ministry summoned on Sunday the ambassadors of Britain, France, and Germany to question what it referred to as their "irresponsible stance" regarding Tehran's retaliatory strikes on Israel. The three European countries have condemned Iran's attack.

The director for Western Europe at Iran's foreign ministry accused the three countries of "double standards" as they opposed earlier this month a Russian-drafted UN Security Council statement that would have condemned Israel's attack on Iran's consulate in Syria.

"Iran's military action against the Zionist regime's (Israel) bases is well within the framework of the right to legitimate defence stipulated in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and it is in response to a series of crimes, including the recent attack on the embassy compound in Syria," the official added.

In a coordinated effort, Iranian state media and supporters of the Islamic Republic have launched a disinformation campaign regarding the damages of the attack.

The campaign aims to project an image of Iranian military dominance by portraying the attack as a resounding success, stoke fear among the Israeli population through exaggerated reports of damage and casualties, and fabricate international backing for Iran's actions.

For example, the state-run newspaper Iran posted a video on social media platform X, claiming it showed Iranian missiles hitting Israel's Negev Airbase. However, fact-checking efforts revealed the footage to be unrelated, depicting a fire incident from months ago in the United States.

The daily falsely reported that Israel's Nevatim Airbase was rendered inoperable. Countering this claim, the Israeli military released a video of an F-35 landing at the base after the attack, demonstrating its continued functionality.

Further exposing the disinformation tactics, fact-checkers debunked a video circulated by "Jamejam," affiliated with Iranian state broadcaster IRIB. The video, purporting to show Iranian missiles passing Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, was actually footage of a Ukrainian attack on Russian ships at Sevastopol port earlier in the year.

Prime Minister Netanyahu is set to lead an urgent session of the Israeli War Cabinet at 3:30 p.m. (1230 GMT) today to address and potentially finalize a response to what officials are calling an "Unprecedented Iranian Attack" launched overnight.

Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7, has called a video meeting of G7 leaders on Sunday to discuss Iran's attack. The call will be held in the early afternoon European time, an Italian government statement said.

"We express our deep concern about a further destabilization of the situation in the region and continue to work to avoid that," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on social media platform X.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he hoped that the Israeli government shows restraint in its response. "I hope that the Israeli government will adopt a cautious line. I hope that there will be no counterattack to the counterattack."

US President Joe Biden has pledged a coordinated G7 diplomatic response to the drone and missile attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed his country would achieve victory after the military said it shot down almost all the more than 300 drones and missiles launched by Iran in a sharp escalation of the Middle East conflict.

"We intercepted, we repelled, together we shall win," Netanyahu posted on X.

The Israeli military said the armed forces had shot down more than 99% of the Iranian drones and missiles and were discussing follow-up options.

Israel's Channel 12 TV cited an unnamed Israeli official as saying there would be a "significant response" to the attack.

Top Iranian commanders warned Israel on Sunday that the country would face a bigger attack if it retaliates against overnight drone and missile strikes, warning Washington against backing any military action from its ally.

The commander of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, warned Tehran would retaliate against any Israeli attack on its interests, officials or citizens.

The chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, General Mohammad Bagheri has warned the United States not to assist Israel in any military operation, following Iran's attack on Saturday.

"We conveyed this message to the United States through the Swiss embassy that if there is any involvement of the United States in the next aggressive actions of the Zionists through the bases or military facilities it has in the region, and this information becomes certain to us, the United States will not have security in the region, and we will consider it as an aggressor and will respond to it accordingly."

US and UK air forces played an important role in intercepting Iranian drones launched against Israel overnight.

"Iran would not hesitate to take further necessary defensive measures to protect its legitimate interests against any act of military aggression or unlawful use of force," Iran's foreign ministry said following the attack on Israel on Saturday night.

The official statement called the attack an "inherent right of self-defense as recognized under Article 51 of the Charter, against Israel's recurring military aggressions."

"The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms its commitment to the purposes and principles of...international law, while reiterating its determination to forcefully defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests," the statement read.

Iranian analyst Morad Veisi believes Iran's first wave of attack on Israel had nothing but 'more humiliation' for the Iranian regime, its leader Ali Khamenei, and the Revolutionary Guard.

In an interview with Iran International TV on Saturday night, he said, "The Islamic Republic was hoping that this attack would make up for its repeated humiliation by Israel, but the first wave of attack led to yet another humiliation... as Israeli defense systems intercepted Iran's attacks, alongside the air forces of US, UK, France, and Jordan."

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry on Saturday expressed 'deep concern' over potential repercussions of military escalation in the region.

In a statement, the foreign ministry called for ‘utmost levels’ of restraint from all parties.

More than 55 rockets have been fired from Lebanon to Israel over the past hour, according to the Israeli military's spokesperson.

This comes after about 40 rockets were fired at Israel from southern Lebanon on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Iran-backed Hezbollah militants said they had fired the rockets at Israeli artillery positions in response to recent Israeli attacks and in support of Palestinian people in Gaza.

US President Joe Biden said in a Saturday statement that he condemns in the strongest terms possible the "unprecedented air attack against Israel's military facilities" carried out by "Iran and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq."

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called Iran's attacks on Israel a "serious escalation" that can have "devastating region-wide" consequences.

“I have repeatedly stressed that neither the region nor the world can afford another war,” Guterres said in a statement.

The preliminary assessment is that the damage to Israel was relatively limited given the scale of the Iranian attack, two senior US officials told the New York Times.

US President Joe Biden has privately expressed concern that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to drag the US more deeply into a broader conflict, three people familiar with his comments told NBC News.

There is concern among top US officials that Israel could do something quickly in response to Iran’s attacks without thinking through potential fallout afterward, a senior administration official and a senior defense official told NBC.

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari has confirmed that "a small number of Iranian missiles" have hit Israel, causing "minor damage" to a military base but no casualties.

Hagari said the "vast majority" of drones and missiles headed for Israel have been downed, either by Israelis or "partners".

All the drones and cruise missiles launched by Iran have so far been intercepted and downed before entering the Israeli airspace, Israel's Channel 11 reported, adding that ballistic missiles were intercepted inside the Israeli airspace.

The UN Security Council will hold a meeting at 4 pm Sunday to discuss Iran’s attack against Israel.

The meeting was earlier requested by Israel’s UN envoy Gilad Erdan.

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has issued a statement in support of Israel, condemning Iran's attacks “unequivocally".

"The Iranian regime’s latest actions will further destabilize the region and make lasting peace more difficult,” Trudeau said.

German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock also condemned Iran'a attacks “in the strongest possible terms."

“Iran and its proxies must stop it immediately,” Baerbock wrote in a post on X.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said "the attack on Israeli territory that Iran launched tonight is unjustifiable and highly irresponsible."

"Iran risks a further escalation in the region. Germany stands by Israel and we will discuss the situation with our allies," he added.

US President Joe Biden had a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for the first time following the Iranian attack on Israel.

Israel's Channel 12 quoted a high-ranking Israeli official as saying that the country will give "an unprecedented response" to Iran's drone and missile attacks.

Footage and photos released by Israeli media show Iranian launches being intercepted over the Temple Mount and Knesset building in Jerusalem.

"Next time the Iranian regime purports to speak for Muslims around the world- remind them of the night they put the Muslim, Christian and Jewish holy sites in Jerusalem in jeopardy. And then remind them who protected these sites," Israeli Foreign Ministry official Tammy Rahamimoff-Honig said in reaction to the video.

Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said early on Sunday that it had received no word of any casualties from Iranian drones launched at the country, many of which have been intercepted.

IRGC-affiliated media claim several Israelis have been killed.

A Reuters witness in Jerusalem says he has heard explosions from what local TV showed were aerial interceptions of drones launched by Iran.

Israel's military sounded sirens in multiple locations in the south of the country, including Beersheba, Dimona, Nevatim, as well as in parts of the occupied West Bank early on Sunday, an alert app showed, warning of incoming aerial threats.

An Israeli defense official tells Army Radio that more than 100 Iranian drones have already been intercepted outside of Israeli airspace, out of hundreds fired at Israel.

The report says the drones were downed by the United States and the United Kingdom.

Earlier, the IDF said it had identified more than 100 drones heading toward Israel.

According to IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency,Tehran Is closely watching Jordan which may become the "next target in case of any (pro-Israel) move.”

Jordanian jets have shot dozens of Iranian drones flying across northern and central Jordan, according to two regional security sources.

Jordan's air defences said they were ready to intercept and shoot down any Iranian drones or aircraft that violate its airspace, two regional security sources said.

They said the army was also in a state of high alert and radar systems were monitoring any drone activity coming from the direction of Iraq and Syria.

Residents in several cities in the northern part of the country near Syria and central and southern areas heard heavy aerial activity. A security source said the country's air force was intensifying reconnaissance flights.

Jordan had earlier said it closed its airspace starting on Saturday night to all incoming, departing and transiting aircraft in what officials told Reuters were precautionary measures in the event of an Iranian strike across its border.

"The relevant authorities took the decision to close the airspace for precautionary reasons as a result of the surrounding security situation," Jordan's government spokesperson Muhannad Mubaideen said.

The US military has shoots down several Iranian drone aircraft headed toward Israel, Reuters quoted two US officials as saying.

Israel is preparing for several days of Fighting against Iran, with an Israeli Response expected soon, open source Israeli intelligence monitor OSINTdefender said.

Iran's mission to the United Nations says the conflict is between the Islamic Republic and Israel, urging Washington to stay out of the conflict. Should Israel make another mistake, Iran's response will be considerably more severe, said the mission.

'Iran's military action was in response to Israel's aggression against Iran's diplomatic premises in Damascus,” it said on social media, adding that “the matter can be deemed concluded.”

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched multiple drones at Israel in coordination with Iran, security firm Ambrey says, adding that the projectiles were likely timed to reach Israel simultaneously.

“Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS) were reportedly launched by the Houthis toward Israel. The UAVs were launched in coordination with Iran,” the company says. “Israeli ports are assessed to be potential targets,” it adds, and warns of “collateral damage” to shipping.

US and British warplanes have downed some Israel-bound Iranian drones over the Iraq-Syria border area, Israel's top-rated Channel 12 TV reported early on Sunday without citing sources.

Videos have emerged online showing regime-sponsored demonstrations celebrating the Iranian attack on Israel. However, reports indicate that none of the Iranian drones or missiles have reached Israeli airspace, with several reportedly intercepted over Syria and Jordan.

Tehran has launched its first wave of ballistic missiles against Israel, state media has reported.

Long lines have formed at gas stations in Tehran and other Iranian cities amid heightened tensions with Israel.

IRGC-affiliated media have reported a similar situation in Israeli cities such as Haifa.

Iranian Defense Minister says any country that opens its airspace or territory for attacks on Iran by Israel ‘will receive Tehran's firm response.’

Sirens sound in the northern Israeli community of Snir, amid a rocket attack from Lebanon.

Hezbollah has been carrying out daily attacks on northern Israel amid the war in the Gaza Strip.

There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the attack.

ABC News reports that US officials believe Iran is set to launch up to 500 drones and missiles from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.

The Israeli military has said it is tracking more than 100 explosives-laden drones.

In addition Lebanon, Israel and neighbouring Jordan, which lies between Iraq and Israel, said they were closing their airspace on Saturday night and Jordan announced a state of emergency.

Syria, an ally of Iran, said it was putting its ground-to-air defence systems around the capital and major bases on high alert, army sources there said.

Iraq has also announced that it is closing its airspace and suspending all air traffic after Iran launched a drone attack on Israel.

“Iraq’s airspace has been closed and air traffic has been halted,” Transport Minister Razzak al-Saadawi tells state news agency INA. The Civil Aviation Authority says the closure will last from 11:30 pm (2030 GMT) until 5:30 am (0230 GMT).

Jordan’s government spokesperson has denied the kingdom announced a state of emergency, and says media reports it did were baseless and “there was no cause for concern among its citizens.”

UK premier Rishi Sunak has condemned in the "strongest terms the Iranian regime’s reckless attack against Israel," warning that "these strikes risk inflaming tensions and destabilizing the region."

"Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard. The UK will continue to stand up for Israel’s security and that of all our regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq. Alongside our allies, we are urgently working to stabilize the situation and prevent further escalation. No one wants to see more bloodshed," he added.

France’s Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne condemns Iran’s drone strikes on Israel as a “new level” in the threat to security.

“France condemns with the greatest firmness the attack launched by Iran against Israel,” he says on the platform X.

“In deciding to take this unprecedented action, Iran has reached a new level of destabilization and is risking a military escalation,” he adds, reiterating France’s commitment to Israel’s security.

The IDF says it struck Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon in response to an explosive-drone attack on northern Israel earlier today, which seriously wounded a security officer.

Israel's top-rated Channel 12 TV reported that Iran had launched a total of around 100 drones and cruise missiles at Israeli targets on Saturday and that some were shot down over Syria or Jordan.

The operation was carried out with the decision of the supreme national security council and with the collaboration of the army, IRGC statement said.

Iran-linked media reports that Tehran has launched a third wave of drones at Israel.

Jewish communities are entering a state of “heightened vigilance” following Iran’s drone attack on Israel, a leader of European Jewry says.

“Given the current situation, Jewish communities in Europe have raised their level of preparedness,” Pinchas Goldschmidt, the president of the Conference of European Rabbis, says in a statement Saturday night. Iranian proxies have in recent years targeted Jews across Europe, including in Greece and Bulgaria, Goldschmidt notes.

Media affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards say Iran's attack include dozens of missiles and drones.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement confirming its launch of the attack. The IRGC says it will hit specific targets in Israel with dozens of drones and missiles, apparently cruise missiles.

Footage circulating on social media purports to show an Iranian Shahed 136 drone flying over Iraq, amid Iran’s attack on Israel.

Iran has launched dozens of drones at Israel, which are expected to take several hours to reach the country, officials have said.

Jordan's air defense ready to intercept and shoot down any Iranian drones or aircraft that violate its airspace, two regional security sources say.

White House Says President Joe Biden is being regularly updated on the situation by his national security team.

State-linked media in Iran is reporting that a second wave of drones has been launched by the Islamic Republic at Israel.

Amos Yadlin, the former head of IDF military intelligence, says it is appropriate that Israel is preparing as needed, but believes “the public can sleep soundly” tonight.

Speaking on Channel 12, as Israel confirmed that Iran has launched dozens of drones at Israel, Yadlin highlighted Israel’s array of missile defense systems and other capabilities.

He notes that the Iranian drones, which are several hours away, carry a 20-kilogram warhead, which “the simplest bomb shelter” can protect against, and says he estimates that the drones are likely headed only to military targets.

A number of drones were seen flying from the direction of Iran over Iraq's Sulaymaniya province, three security sources told Reuters on Saturday.

"Dozens of drones were spotted flying from Iran in the direction of Israel over Iraqi airspace," two Iraqi security sources also told Reuters.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari in a press statement confirmed that dozens of drones launched from within Iran are heading toward Israel.

He said the Israeli Air Force is tracking the drones, while noting that they will take several hours to reach the country.

Hagari warned that there will be GPS disruptions as the military works to intercept the drones.

Sirens will only sound if the drones enter Israeli airspace, at the relevant locations, Hagari said and added that the IDF will work to intercept the targets as early as possible.

Israel's Channel 12 reported that the US was the first to identify the launch and immediately notified Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is ready for a direct attack from Iran and will respond in kind.

“Citizens of Israel, in recent years, and even more so in recent weeks, Israel has been preparing for the possibility of a direct attack from Iran,” the premier says in a video statement.

“Our defense systems are deployed, and we are prepared for any scenario, both in defense and offense. The State of Israel is strong, the IDF is strong, the public is strong.”

“We appreciate the US for standing by Israel’s side as well as the support of the UK, France and many other countries.”

“I established a clear principle — whoever hurts us, we will hurt them. We will defend ourselves from any threat and we will do so calmly and with determination.”

Iran has launched an attack against Israel using dozens of drones, according to the Axios news site.

Israel is about 1,500 kilometers from Iran’s western border regions. Drones are assessed to take several hours to cover such a distance.

Iran Fars news agency, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, said that “according to Zionist sources” Iran launched many drones towards “occupied Palestine.”

There is no immediate statement from the IDF on news about the reported attack.

Iran has launched attack against Israel using dozens of drones, according to US and Israeli officials.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to convene the war cabinet followed by the broader security cabinet later tonight amid an anticipated counter-strike from Iran, Hebrew media reports.

Jordanian authorities have announced a temporary closure of their airspace starting Saturday night, affecting all incoming, departing, and transit flights.

Channel 12 reports that two Flydubai flights departing from the United Arab Emirates for Israel were forced to turn back.

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to return to Dubai on Saturday evening due to disruptions to GPS systems in the region. The disruption reportedly affected systems in Syria, Kuwait, Iraq, and Lebanon.

Israel Katz, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, has postponed his trip to Hungary and Austria scheduled for Sunday due to the security situation, according to Iran International correspondent in Jerusalem.

This trip, which included meetings with the President of Hungary, the Chancellor of Austria, and the Foreign Ministers of Hungary and Austria, along with the families of individuals abducted by Hamas, has been postponed until further notice.

Israel is "closely monitoring a planned attack" by Iran and its proxies in the region, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Saturday, without giving further details on the threat.

In the statement, Gallant said Israelis should heed any orders that might be issued by the military's Homefront Command, which maps incoming missiles and other aerial threats so as to let the public know whether to take shelter.

Israel also called off on Saturday school trips and other youth activities planned for the coming days, the beginning of the Passover festival, and placed the armed forces on full alert due to a possible attack by Iran.

Announcing the measures in a televised briefing, chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said dozens of combat planes were airborne as part of the state of readiness.

US President Joe Biden will return to Washington on Saturday afternoon to consult with his national security team about events in the Middle East, cutting short his weekend trip to Delaware, the White House said.

Biden warned on Friday that Iran will launch an attack on Israel "sooner than later."

The US Embassy in Lebanon has warned Americans about “the security environment” in the country and has asked them “to monitor the news for breaking developments.”

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AMSTERDAM, April 13 (Reuters) - Dutch foreign minister Hanke Bruins Slot told her Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in a phone call that Iran should not attack Israel and should take actions to "de-escalate", she said on social media platform X.

"During the conversation I also expressed my great concerns about the ship that was hijacked in the Strait of Hormuz and that these types of actions must stop", she added.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, days after Tehran said it could close the crucial shipping route, and warned it would retaliate for an Israeli strike on its consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus.

The US dollar rose to more than 660,000 rials in Tehran's open exchange market on Saturday as the risk of an Iranian attack on Israel and a military escalation remained high.

The rial has fallen by more than 30 percent since early January, breaking multiple thresholds on weekly basis. The Iranian currency began its steep fall in 2018 when the United States withdrew from the JCPOA nuclear deal and imposed sanctions on Iran. Since then, the rial has fallen more than 16-fold.

The German Foreign Office has recommended that its citizens leave Iran due to escalating tensions and the possibility of conflict with Israel.

The advisory warns of the dangers to air, land, and sea travel in the region and specifically mentions the risk faced by those with dual citizenship in Germany and Iran. It cautions against the higher chance of being detained or questioned without warning.

Read more...

Government media in Iran reported that the Revolutionary Guard has confirmed the seizure of a commercial ship affiliated with Israel on Saturday, which was sailing through the Strait of Hormuz under the flag of Portugal. ABC News reported that this ship is associated with the Zodiac Maritime company owned by an Israeli billionaire named Eyal Ofer.

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the vessel had been seized 50 nautical miles (92 km) northeast of the Fujairah, an area close to the Strait of Hormuz that forms the entrance to the Gulf.

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The UK Royal Marines are prepared to oversee a major evacuation of British nationals from the Middle East if Iran decides to launch a missile strike on Israel.

Read more....

In calls with Egyptian and Jordanian foreign ministers on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the recent escalation in the Middle East amid Iran’s ongoing threats against Israel.

According to the State Department, Blinken told Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry that “an escalation by Iran would not benefit anyone in the region.”

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Israelis are in complete terror, awaiting Iran’s retaliatory attack, IRGC General Yahya Rahim-Safavi, chief military advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said late on Friday.
Rahim-Safavi who was speaking at a memorial service for IRGC officers killed in an Israeli air strike in Damascus on April 1, claimed that Israel has refrained from attacking the Rafah area in Gaza, because it awaits an attack from Iran.

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The US believes Iran may attack Israel from inside its territory as Tehran officials constantly vow revenge for the deaths of top IRGC generals in an Israeli strike in Damascus, CNN reported. Read more...

Despite repeated US warnings about an imminent Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel, Tehran seems to be playing the game of keeping everyone in suspense...Read more about the latest.

Iran's Shargh Daily reported that Holland is closing its embassy in Tehran and the consulate in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, which has been a target of Iranian missile attacks in the past.

The US will attempt to intercept any weapons launched at Israel if it’s feasible to do so, two US officials told CNN.

In recent months, the US Navy forces in the Red Sea have intercepted long-range missiles launched by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen towards Israel.

The American forces in Iraq and Syria could also potentially intercept drones and rockets targeting northern Israel, depending on the location from which they’re launched, the CNN report said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Iranian militias across the Syrian territory are on high alert in anticipation of Iran’s possible attack.

Syrian militias enacted a strategic redeployment, removing signs that confirm their presence from their positions and limiting public movements. Essential travel by military leadership will occur in unmarked convoy vehicles, the war monitor said.

US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel "sooner, rather than later," and warned Tehran not to proceed.

Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden said simply, "Don't," and he reiterated Washington's commitment to defend Israel.

"We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed," he said.

Former prime minister Ehud Barak has said that Israel is stronger militarily than Iran, but would have a difficult time defeating the Islamic Republic in a drawn-out war.

Barak tells Channel 12 that Israel’s first prime minister David “Ben-Gurion set clear rules: Israel must not enter all-out war without a superpower at its side; Israel must always seek shorter wars [because] we don’t have the luxury of long wars; Israel must always hold the moral high ground. Those three lessons apply to this day. Netanyahu is ignoring all of them.”

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari in a press statement says IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has concluded an assessment with CENTCOM chief Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla on the threat of an attack by Iran on Israel.

“We held a joint assessment of the situation, to ensure that our coordination is tight,” Hagari says, adding that here are still no changes in instructions to civilians amid the heightened alert of a potential Iranian attack.

“We have been at war for the past six months, and we have dealt with all the existing threats. Our defense is ready, and knows how to handle each threat individually. We are also ready for attack, with a variety of capabilities, to protect the citizens of Israel,” he said.

“Iran is escalating, pushing for regional escalation. We’ll know how to deal with the Iranian threat. We are well-prepared and will know how to respond to anything,” Hagari noted.

Javad Karimi Quddusi, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said on his X (formerly twitter) account that "After punishing the Zionist regime in the upcoming hours," Israel will soon learn that any attempt to eliminate Resistance Front figures will be met with swift retribution “by Iranian Sejjil, Kheibar, and Shahab missiles.”

According to reports, Sejil-3 – the latest in the series has a maximum range of 2,000 to 2,500 kilometers, and a launch weight of 38,000 kilograms. Kheibar’s operational range is about 2,000 km with a 1,500 kg warhead. The Shahab-3 has a range of 1,000 kilometers with some model boasting 2,000 kilometers.

Any projectile with about 2,000-kilometer range can reach Israel from Iran’s western regions.

Iran sent a message to the Biden administration through several Arab countries earlier this week, saying if the US gets involved in the fighting between Israel and Iran, American forces in the region will be attacked, three US officials told Axios.

Government media in Iran was mainly silent on Friday about the issue of an attack on Israel. While in previous days officials and clerics regularly made remarks about how to retaliate against Israel, there was virtually nothing in Tehran media today.

However, commentators and some regime insiders continued to tweet on the subject. Notable was a tweet by conservative commentator Ahmad Zeidabadi who rhetorically asked the country’s highest authorities if they were planning to attack. If so, he asked, how they can be sure Israel will not respond. What will they do if a response comes?

Another retaliation will lead to a “destructive and needless war,” Zeidabadi said.

A reportedly imminent attack by Iran on Israel is a real and viable threat, the White House said on Friday, giving no details about any possible timing and reiterating that the US takes its commitments to defend Israel seriously.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby added that the United States is looking at its own force posture in the region in light or Tehran's threat and is watching the situation very closely.

Washington-based Al-Monitor cited a senior Israeli political source as saying that if Iran employs its proxies — among them Hezbollah in Lebanon or the Houthi rebels in Yemen — to launch rockets, cruise missiles or drones at Israel, “the event could be contained.”

“But if Iran launches missiles at Israel from its territory, there will undoubtedly be a broad Israeli response against Iran itself, which could lead to a comprehensive and rapid deterioration into war in the Middle East.”

“Western intelligence agencies apparently have intelligence indicating that the Iranian attack will take place in the coming days,” the source told Al-Monitor, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “The effort now is to clarify to Iran the outlines that will allow the sides to exit this event without deteriorating into all-out war.”

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had yet to decide among the various options presented to him.

The US on Friday deployed a "missile ship with advanced defense capabilities" near the Israeli shores in order to "help Israel in case it is attacked with missiles by Iran in the near future," Israel's Channel 14 reported.

Northern Iran's air defense chief, Brigadier General Amir-Mohammad Sadeqian, inspected combat readiness, equipment, and response protocols during a visit to defense systems, ISNA reported Friday.

Esfahan's Friday Prayer Imam said during his sermons, "Our armed forces are awaiting the Supreme Leader's command to punish Israel for its actions."

Two US officials told CBS News that a major Iranian attack against Israel was expected as soon as Friday, possibly to include more than 100 drones and dozens of missiles aimed at military targets inside the country.

Officials warned that a large-scale Iranian attack would be difficult for Israel to repel. While a smaller strike to avoid full-blown escalation remains a possibility, retaliation is believed to be imminent.

Ultraconservative Iranian propagandist Ali-Akbar Raefipour on Friday hinted that the Islamic Republic might have adopted a strategy of attrition against Israel.

He tweeted: “The Zionist enemy has been on full alert for almost a week. Key figures are in shelters, and many sensitive buildings have been evacuated.

The Islamic Republic's goal is not a symbolic response. Until significant and key military-political figures of the regime become victims, the issue will not be resolved, so be patient. This expectation makes each second more terrifying for the Zionists.”

German flagship airline Lufthansa has extended its suspension of flights to and from Tehran by five days until April 18, the dpa news agency reported on Friday citing a company spokesperson.

The carrier first announced it had cancelled a flight from Frankfurt to Tehran last weekend to avoid the crew having to disembark and spend the night.

Several countries are warning their citizens against travel to Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Iran, amid fears that Tehran will strike Israel soon.

Elizabeth Stickney, spokesperson for the US State Department, told Iran International that the escalation of tensions in the region is a concern for Washington. She added that the US is making efforts to prevent further escalation.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Thursday that Israel would respond directly to any attack by Iran, Amid strong messages of support by the United States.

“A direct Iranian attack will require an appropriate Israeli response against Iran," Gallant told US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, according to remarks issued by his office.

The Pentagon said the two discussed the United States' "iron-clad" commitment to Israel's security against threats from Iran and its proxies.

As Israel is planning for an imminent attack from Iran – Tehran has not yet made a final decision on its plans to attack, the Wall Street Journal reported citing two separate anonymous sources.

Iran has threatened to retaliate for a widely-believed Israeli attack on Damascus less than two weeks ago, which killed several top Iranian military officials.

The US top military commander for the Middle East, CENTCOM Commander Michael Erik Kurilla arrived in Israel on Thursday, to coordinate talks on preparing for a potential attack by Iran.

India advised its citizens on Friday against travelling to Iran and Israel until further notice in view of the "prevailing situation in the region".

The advisory from the foreign ministry came amid Iran's threats to retaliate against an Israeli airstrike on its consulate in Syria this month.

Countries including the US and Russia have issued similar travel advisories for their staff and citizens in the region.

While a second night of apprehension in Tehran and Tel Aviv passed eventless on Thursday, reports on Friday raised the possibility of an Iranian attack later in the day or overnight into Saturday.

Reports from American and Israeli sources pointing to a ‘significant’ operation against Israel first emerged on Wednesday and spurred regional and world leaders to call for restraint and de-escalation.