Israel is bracing for retaliation from Iran just days after a top Iranian commander was killed in an alleged Israeli strike.
The Israel Defense Forces suspended home leave for its combat troops on Thursday amid rising tensions with Iran, whose leaders vowed to strike back at the nation they believe to be responsible for the Monday attack. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the death of Iran’s top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general Mohammad Reza Zahedi and at least six other IRGC officers, who were based in Syria at the time of the strike. Tehran has since vowed revenge against Jerusalem.
Israel is said to be preparing for possible missile and drone strikes from Iranian proxy forces in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, according to the Times of Israel. It’s possible Iran could also fire ballistic missiles toward Israeli cities, which would be a first in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Despite the looming threat, Israeli officials believe their missile-defense systems can handle it.
“I have told you more than once that it is not certain that the worst is behind us, and we have complex days ahead of us,” said Aharon Haliva, head of the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate.
The IDF said Wednesday night that it was beefing up its air defenses and calling up reservists in the event of a retaliatory attack. No new security directives for Israeli citizens have been issued.
“The instructions of the Home Front Command remained unchanged,” IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a post on X. “As we have done until today, we will immediately update on any change, in an official and orderly manner.” Hagari added that civilians do not need to “buy generators, stock up on food or withdraw money from ATMs.”
While military preparations are underway, residents in Tel Aviv have experienced widespread disruptions to their GPS systems, including Google Maps and Waze. Many have reported that their navigation apps say they are located in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.
Though alarming, the GPS disruptions are caused by the Israeli military in an effort to prevent enemy attacks. The disruptions are less common in central Israel, though they are more frequent in northern Israel or areas near Gaza.
Also on Thursday, Israeli media initially reported that the Netanyahu-led government evacuated many of its international embassies over fear of Iran taking revenge. However, the Jewish state has denied doing so, the Jerusalem Post reported.