An airstrike by Israel hit the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing at least seven Iranians, including two generals. In response, Iran warned the US to stay out of the conflict with Israel, as Iran said it’s prepared for war against Israel, resulting in growing concerns in the Biden administration.
Over the past few months, Israel has repeatedly targeted Iran-linked assets in Syria; however, this was the first time an Iranian diplomatic building was attacked. In a post on X, Mohammad Jamshidi, President Raisi’s Deputy Chief of Staff, said, “In a written message, the Islamic Republic of Iran warns US leadership not to get dragged into Netanyahu’s trap for the US: Stay away so you won’t get hurt.” In response, the US asked Iran not to target American facilities.
In response to Mohammad Jamshidi’s warning, a US State Department official said Washington “responded by warning Iran not to use this (the Syria attack) as a pretext to attack US personnel and facilities.”
“As Iran noted publicly, we received a message from them. We responded by warning Iran not to use this as a pretext to attack US personnel and facilities. We did not ‘ask,'” the official told CNN. “Don’t think about coming after us.”
Iranian Attack is “inevitable”, US on High Alert
According to NBC News, the military reported that it intercepted two unguided attack drones near the al Tanf base in southern Syria, citing American defense authorities.
Although US troops at the base were not explicitly targeted by the drones, military assessments concluded that their proximity constituted a possible threat to the US or Israel. Notably, it has been almost two months since there have been any known strikes against US forces in Syria or Iraq.
On Thursday, American President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of an Iranian retaliatory strike.
The US and Israel have maintained “regular and continuous contact” since the two presidents’ call, according to a senior administration official quoted by NBC News. The US is closely monitoring for a “significant” reaction from Iran against the US or Israel.
CNN reported that, according to senior US and Israeli officials, an Iranian attack is “inevitable.” According to the officials, neither government knew when or how Iran intended to retaliate.
According to an NBC News story, two representatives from US President Joe Biden’s cabinet have voiced concerns about Iranian retaliation within Israel, stating that the targets will mostly be military and intelligence targets rather than civilians. They also explored alternatives for countering potential retaliation by Iran, such as using drones or land-attack cruise missiles.
On high alert since then, Israel has increased air defenses, called up reserves, and canceled combat troops’ home leave. In order to counter GPS-navigated drones or missiles that might be fired on Israel, its military disrupted navigational signals over Tel Aviv on Thursday.
Hezbollah: No Interference For Now
Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, stated on Friday that Iran will surely respond, but his group will not “interfere in such decisions,” he declared.
“And after that, how Israel will behave, the region would enter a new phase,” Nasrallah said in a televised speech. Nasrallah emphasized the coordinated work of Iran’s resistance groups in the region.
The most powerful force in the Middle East, Hezbollah, confirmed that it hasn’t used ” its primary arsenal” since October 7 in the daily battles with Israel along Lebanon’s southern border.
According to Nasrallah, Hezbollah is “fully prepared and ready” for any war with Israel.
The conflict between Iran and Israel dates back to 1979, when the last monarch of Iran, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was overthrown following the Islamic revolution. Iran’s leaders adopted an anti-Israel stance, aligning themselves with groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine.
