– The US has indications that Iran is preparing a ballistic missile attack against Israel, a high-ranking official in the White House told AFP on Tuesday. On Wednesday afternoon, all employees and their families at the US embassy in Israel were asked to go to the bomb shelter. A spokesperson for the Israeli military (IDF) says they have not identified threats of air strikes from Iran, but that the Israeli air force is well prepared. – We are on full alert together with our allies. The IDF is prepared for both attack and defence, says the spokesperson. The previously anonymous spokesperson for the White House says that they actively support Israel against this possible attack. – We actively support measures to defend Israel against this attack, says the official further and warns that such an attack “will have very serious consequences for Iran”. Iran has an unknown number of long-range missiles. This picture shows one of them, shown in Tehran on 24 September. Photo: Majid Asgaripour / Reuters Unease about the situation Middle Eastern expert Hilde Henriksen Waage believes that Iran is now feeling strong pressure to do something. – There have been many calls, certainly from allies and others, to sign up for this war. But we have seen that Iran has insisted that they do not want to get involved in the war, she says to news. She believes it is a question of how long Iran can sit on the fence and watch Israel now fight on two fronts, both in Gaza and in southern Lebanon. – But I think that Iran has more than enough with its own regime, with keeping order in its own house, she says. Waage is more worried about what Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will do. – The tones coming from him do not bode well. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide at a press conference on Tuesday. Photo: Thomas Fure / NTB – Very dramatic The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, believes that the situation in the entire region is now extremely serious. – This is exactly the escalation we have feared for a long time, that we are going from a very dramatic situation in Gaza and the West Bank to a more international conflict. He said that at a press conference earlier on Tuesday. He emphasizes that the conflict is not between Israel and Lebanon, but between Israel and Hezbollah, which has a base in the country. – Over a thousand civilian lives have been lost, and up to a million people are on the run. Internal pressure Eide says there has been hectic diplomacy from many countries to try to stop Israel’s ground invasion, and to call for ceasefire negotiations. – Now it seems rather that the weapons will talk. He does not believe that Iran, which supports Hezbollah, necessarily wants an escalation of the conflict. – At the same time, we know that there can be a lot of pressure internally, now that so many of Iran’s allies in the region are being directly attacked. Israel at war Israel is now waging war on several fronts, both against Hamas in Gaza and against Hezbollah in Lebanon Hezbollah is supported by Iran, and a reaction from Tehran has long been expected On Monday evening, Israel launched a provisionally limited ground invasion in southern Lebanon Day Henrik Tuastad is an author and expert on the Middle East. He believes that what is happening now can be compared to a long-distance race in which Israel takes bite by bite in various stages. – Then it may be that Iran thinks that it is better to strike now than to wait until all these other stages have been completed on Israel’s part. He points out that Israel has been planning a war in Lebanon since 2006. – Since then they have identified thousands of targets, both people and military facilities, says Tuastad. Published 01.10.2024, at 16.18 Updated 01.10.2024, at 16.52
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Iran prepares rocket attack against Israel – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
