Israel anticipates direct attack from Iran; U.S. deploys more vessels to region
A U.S. Navy submarine and several destroyers have been sent as concerns grow in the region about a potential Iranian attack on Israel.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters, an Israeli official, citing conversations with security officials, said Monday that the country’s updated assessments indicate that Iran has decided to directly attack Israel in response.
On Sunday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia to the Middle East and told the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to speed up its voyage to the region.
The U.S. deployment was announced by the Defense Department after talks between Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The pair discussed efforts to “deter aggression” by Iran and
the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, according to a
readout of the call.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, left, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon on June 25. The two spoke in a call Sunday. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Israel has communicated to Iran and Hezbollah that targeting civilian population centers would be considered a red line for Israel, which is preparing for a spectrum of scenarios, including one in which Hezbollah attacks first and is joined by Iran afterward, said Yoel Guzansky, a former official on Israel’s National Security Council who is now a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.