Israel sent troops to bolster its borders with the West Bank to prepare for a possible ground assault orchestrated by Hamas and Iran.
Additional forces were deployed to cities to foil any infiltration attempt, following a deadly knife attack on Sunday that left two people killed in the city of Holon in central Israel, Israel’s Army Radio, run by the armed forces, reported.
It came as Israel was braced for a major attack likely by air from Iran following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader, in Tehran on Wednesday.
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, told G7 allies that an attack, likey with missiles and drones, could begin as early as Monday, sources told US media.
The G7 countries issued a joint statement, urging all involved parties “once again to refrain from perpetuating the current destructive cycle of retaliatory violence, to lower tensions and engage constructively toward de-escalation”.
Iran dismisses attempts to de-escalate
Iran on Monday issued public flight operations notices advising aircrafts to change their routes in a sign that missile and drone launches were imminent. Lufthansa, the German airline giant, said that its flights would avoid Iraqi and Iranian airspace until at least Aug 7.
Tehran has dismissed attempts by Arab nations and the US to de-escalate the situation, saying it will attack Israel even if it means sparking a war, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Nasser Kanaani, the Iranian foreign ministry’s spokesman, reiterated on Monday that an attack is being prepared, saying “we believe Iran is entitled to punish the aggressor within the framework of international law”.
Iran will “definitely and decisively take serious and deterrent measures”, he added.
