Iran's retaliation on Israel looms as nations evacuate Lebanon
Axios reports that Iran's retaliatory attack on Israel could happen on Monday, August 5. Meanwhile, more countries are urging their citizens to leave Lebanon. International carriers have also suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut.
4 August 2024 17:39
Axios cites three representatives from the U.S. and Israel, stating that in their assessment, Iran's attack on Israel could happen as early as Monday.
The American portal, which was founded in 2016 by journalists previously associated with Politico, did not provide the names of the officials who expect that Iran might attack Israel on Monday. Axios mentioned this assessment in a report informing that on August 3, the commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Michael Kurilla, arrived in the Middle East.
The portal specified that the general planned to visit several countries, with Jordan being the most important stop during the trip.
U.S. and Israeli representatives, whose names were not mentioned by Axios, do not know whether Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah will carry out a possible coordinated attack or act separately. According to their assessments, military plans are being finalized and approved at the political level.
Sky News Arabia, citing Western intelligence sources, reports that the attack is possible on August 12-13.
Tensions rise in the Middle East
On Tuesday, in an Israeli attack on Beirut, Hezbollah military leader Fuad Shukr was killed. On Wednesday, in another attack attributed to Israel on Tehran, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed. Both the leaders of Iran and Hezbollah, as well as the Palestinian Hamas, have already announced retaliation.
The situation in the Middle East is the most tense it has been in months and threatens to further escalate the conflict on various fronts between Israel and Tehran and its Iranian allies: Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Yemeni Houthi movement.
