Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has begun to take defensive measures in anticipation of a direct Iranian strike against Israeli territory in response to the April 1 Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
At least 13 people were killed in the strike in which, according to Tehran’s ambassador, Israeli F-35 stealth fighter jets fired six missiles that leveled the five-story consular building adjacent to the embassy.
The attack claimed the lives of seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members, including two senior commanders of the Quds Force, Brigadier Generals Mohammad Reza Zahedi and his deputy Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi.
Iran’s top officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi, vowed a harsh response to the Israeli attack.
On April 3, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the country was on high alert for a potential Iranian response to the attack in Syria and that a retaliatory strike originating from Iranian territory -as opposed to from one of its proxies- would require a more significant IDF response.
The IDF announced on the same day that it has bolstered its air defense array, calling up reservists following a fresh assessment.
Furthermore on April 4, the IDF said in a brief statement that it halted home leave for all combat troops, following a fresh assessment.
“The IDF is at war and the issue of the deployment of forces is constantly reviewed as needed,” the statement reads.
On the same day, residents of central Israel reported widespread disruptions to navigation apps like Google Maps, Waze and other systems that use GPS with many motorists in the city of Tel Aviv being shown that they were in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
The disruptions were most likely caused by the IDF’s electronic warfare means to jam any missiles or drones Iran could launch at Israel.
Iran appears to be determined to respond to the Israeli attack on its embassy in Syria. Khamenei said that Israel would “be slapped” in response to the attack.
“The defeat of the Zionist regime in Gaza will continue and this regime will be close to decline and dissolution,” Khamenei said in a speech to the country’s officials in Tehran on April 4. “Desperate efforts like the one they committed in Syria will not save them from defeat. Of course, they will also be slapped for that action.”
Iran responded to previous Israeli attacks against its forces in Syria indirectly, either via its allies or by hitting targets loosely linked to Israel in the Middle East. Now, however, Tehran may be planning to respond directly by attacking Israeli territory. This could lead to a dangerous escalation in the region, or even a full-blown war.
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