US President Joe Biden considered this Friday that Iran’s eventual attack on Israeli targets will come “sooner rather than later” and asked Tehran not to carry it out.
In a speech at the National Action Network Convention, the Democratic president stressed that Washington is committed to the defense of Israel.
“We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel. Iran will not succeed,” he stressed.
“Credible” threats
This same Friday, the White House had also spoken out on the matter and had considered Iran’s threats “credible”, which is why, according to US media, it will mobilize additional troops in the Middle East to prepare for an eventual escalation of the conflict.
According to an anonymous source familiar with Iran’s plans cited by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Israel is also preparing for a possible attack by Iran that could occur as soon as this Friday or Saturday.
Reprisal
Iran has threatened retaliation against Israel for the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed seven members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard last week, as well as destroying the building attached to the Tehran embassy, which was the residence of the Iranian ambassador.
The spokesman for the Israeli Army, Daniel Hagari, warned Iran again this Friday that Israel is prepared “for any (possible) scenario,” and recalled that the country has been facing a war in the Gaza Strip for half a year in which it has already “all possible threats” have been faced.
“More than ever, we are prepared to defend ourselves against any type of threat. We will know how to defend our citizens,” warned Hagari at the end of an assessment of the security situation in which the Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli Army, Herzi Halevi, participated. and the head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael Kurilla, among others.
Directorate and force commanders presented contingency plans, both defensive and offensive, as well as potential operational responses in each region to the chief of staff.
An attack “would be clear evidence of Iran’s intentions to escalate the situation in the Middle East. It would be ceasing to hide behind its proxies” in other countries, Hagari continued.
In turn, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz warned: “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack Iran.”
“Shoulder to shoulder”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated this Friday that his country is “shoulder to shoulder” with the United States after meeting with Kurilla at the Hatzor military base, central Israel, where they also discussed preparations.
“Our enemies believe they can separate Israel and the United States, but the opposite is true: They are uniting us and strengthening our ties. We stand shoulder to shoulder,” Gallant said, according to a statement from his department, in which he reiterated that Israel is prepared to defend itself by “land and air in close cooperation” with its partners.
Since tension soared between Israel and Iran, US President Joe Biden has highlighted that his commitment to Israel’s security “is ironclad” and, this Friday, he asked the Persian power not to attack considering that it will do so. earlier than later”.
General Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of the US Central Middle East Command (Centcom), traveled to Israel on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, archenemy of Israel and ally of Hamas, reiterated on Wednesday that Israel “will be punished.”
In this context, the Lebanese movement Hezbollah, supported by Iran, announced on Friday that it fired “dozens of rockets” at Israeli positions, stating that it was a response to Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon.
For his part, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked his counterparts in China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to try to dissuade Tehran.
New bombings
Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces launched new bombings, the Palestinian movement Hamas indicated this Friday. Dozens of houses and residential buildings were attacked with explosives in the Nuseirat refugee camp, in the center of the Gaza Strip, Hamas denounced. Israeli forces also shelled other sectors of the area, he added.
At least 25 members of the Al Tabatibi family were killed in an attack on a building in the Al Daraj neighborhood of northern Gaza City, according to a relative. “Bombing hit Nuseirat all night. There was nothing but fire and destruction, with martyrs lying in the streets. We fled in the morning and have nowhere to go. This is the sixth time we have been displaced. Gaza has become uninhabitable,” he declared. Mohamad Al-Rayes, 61, told AFP.
The Israeli military reported attacks on “more than 60 terrorist targets” in Gaza, including underground posts and military infrastructure.
Two dead in the West Bank
In the West Bank, the Israeli Army killed two Palestinians this Friday in an operation launched at dawn in the town of Tubas and in the nearby Fara refugee camp.
Sources cited by the Palestinian news agency WAFA have indicated that a Palestinian has died after the military opened fire on his vehicle in Tubas as part of the raid, after which the Palestinian Red Crescent has confirmed that it has recovered the body.
Likewise, a second Palestinian identified as Muhamad Shahmawi has been shot dead during a military raid on the Fara camp, without the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) having commented on these operations for now.
Pressures and negotiations
The conflict in the Palestinian territory broke out on October 7 after the Hamas attack on southern Israel, which left 1,170 dead, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on Israeli figures.
The Islamist movement took 250 hostages during its assault, of which 129 remain in Gaza, including 34 who are believed to have died, according to Israeli authorities.
In response, Israel vowed to “annihilate” Hamas and launched an offensive that has already left 33,634 dead in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-ruled territory’s Health Ministry.
Qatar, Egypt and the United States, which are mediating to achieve a truce, are awaiting the response of Israel and Hamas to their latest proposal for a cessation of fighting that also allows the release of Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza.
Basem Naim, a senior Hamas leader, had warned Thursday that the group needs “sufficient time and security” to locate the hostages, which is key to truce negotiations.
Pope Francis said Friday that he felt “distressed” by the conflict and called for “an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” “for the hostages to be released” and for more help for civilians.
The international community has been demanding for months the opening of new direct routes to supply aid to the northern Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian crisis is most serious.
The Israeli army announced on Friday the opening of a new border crossing with the north. According to media reports, it is located near the Israeli town of Zikim, not far from Erez, a pass currently closed.
