U.S. urges Americans in Israel to head to BOMB SHELTERS ahead of ‘imminent’ ballistic missile attack from Iran
The US embassy in Israel told its employees to return home and be prepared to enter bomb shelters, while the White House warned of an impending attack from Iran.
The warning comes a day after Israeli forces launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon on Monday evening aimed at crippling the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah there.
Now Iran is preparing to “immediately” launch a ballistic missile attack on Israel, the White House warned, adding that such a move would have “serious consequences.”
“The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to launch an early ballistic missile attack on Israel,” a senior administration official told DailyMail.com.
“We actively support defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack by Iran on Israel will have serious consequences for Iran.”
The US embassy warned its staff in Israel to prepare to go to bomb shelters
The order from the US embassy, the first in months, indicates the seriousness of the situation.
Three Israeli officials told The New York Times that the attack would involve firing unmanned drones and missiles at Israel.
The US warning came around noon Israel time, which was 5 a.m. ET, an Israeli official told Axios.
The attack raises the possibility of all-out war between the two bitter enemies, who have waged a shadow war for years as Tehran sought to destroy Israel and Israel sought to rein in Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran launched a direct attack on Israel in April, but few missiles reached their targets. Many were shot down by a US-led coalition, while others apparently failed at launch or crashed in flight.
But a Western source told Axios that, unlike April’s attack, this time Iran will attack Israel only with ballistic missiles that reach Israel within 12 minutes and not with drones or cruise missiles that allow for a much longer preparation time for defense and interception.
Israeli attacks on Lebanon are escalating as they try to eliminate Hezbollah’s top leaders.
Over the past year, Hezbollah has attacked Israel in solidarity with Hamas, the Gaza-based armed group also backed by Iran.
The Pentagon said Monday that the US is sending several thousand additional troops to the Middle East to bolster the 40,000 troops already in the region and help defend Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on Tuesday that Israel faces “major challenges” in its fight against an Iranian axis.
In the videotaped statement, he urged the public to listen to public safety guidelines from the Army’s Home Front Command. He made no direct mention of a missile threat.
Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that Israeli officials had received the intelligence update from Washington, but no aerial threats from Iran had yet been detected.
He said Israel and its allies are on a “high state of alert” and that any attack from Iran would have consequences, while the US embassy in Jerusalem ordered its employees and families to “shelter in place.”
A full-scale attack by Iran on Israel could lead to all-out war in the Middle East, with experts warning that such an escalation would likely lead to the US coming to Israel’s defense.
Israeli soldiers in a moving APC in northern Israel, near the Israel-Lebanon border
A view of damaged buildings after Israeli attacks on the Laylaki and Haret Hireyk neighborhoods in the Dahieh region of Beirut, Lebanon
Fears of an Iranian attack increased as the Israeli army warned residents of more than 20 Lebanese border communities to immediately evacuate their homes after announcing the start of ground operations against Hezbollah late last night.
IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee told Lebanese civilians to flee north of the Awali River, some 60 kilometers (36 miles) from the border, raising fears that the IDF is planning to deploy its forces deep into southern Lebanon or to increase the intensity of air strikes.
“You must go north of the Awali River to save yourself and leave your homes immediately,” the statement said.