The United States has warned that Iran or its proxies could launch significant attacks against Israel as early as this week, as Tehran insists on its right to respond to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The White House national security spokesperson, John Kirby, said it was difficult to predict the exact nature of any attack but that Washington and its allies were preparing for a 'significant set of attacks'.
Iran's acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, reiterated Tehran's right to an 'appropriate and deterrent response' during a call with his Chinese counterpart. The US has deployed the USS Georgia, a nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine, to the Middle East, and additional fighter jets and navy warships have been ordered to the region to bolster Israeli defences.
In Israel, the air force commander banned career officers from travelling abroad for holidays, and soldiers in Georgia and Azerbaijan were told to return home immediately. The Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, informed US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin that Iran was preparing for a large-scale military attack within days.
The leaders of France, Germany and Britain issued a joint statement calling on Tehran to refrain from retaliatory attacks that would further escalate tensions. They also reiterated calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke to Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, urging restraint.
Several international airlines, including Lufthansa, have suspended flights to the region, avoiding Iranian and Iraqi airspace. The rising tensions come as Israel continues its military campaign in Gaza, where nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. On Sunday, an Israeli strike on a school shelter in northern Gaza killed at least 80 people, one of the deadliest attacks in the ten-month war.
