The situation in the Middle East remains critical as an Israeli strike on Iran appears imminent, sources say.
US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reached an agreement on the scope of planned retaliation against Iran, according to a report by the American news website Axios, citing leaders’ recent telephone conversation.
While the scale and target of the attack remain undisclosed, an Israeli official told Axios that current retaliation plans are more aggressive than initially desired by the White House.
A US official stated, “We are moving in the right direction.” Another American official said the administration was slightly less anxious about Israel’s plans following the call.
The senior Israeli official also reported that gaps between the US and Israel regarding the nature and extent of the attack had narrowed.
The Biden-Netanyahu communication followed days of discussions between Israeli and American officials, with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant expected to visit Washington soon.
According to Axios, the US-Israel agreement signals that Biden has consented to a major attack on Iran in the near future, despite concerns that strikes on certain targets could lead to a dramatic escalation in the Middle East.
Iran has warned it will respond more decisively if attacked by Israel. A source close to the Iranian government told RT that if Israel targets oil facilities, “Tehran will target the entity’s (Israel’s) three main refineries.”
Tehran further cautioned that if Israel strikes its nuclear facilities, Iran would not only retaliate in kind but also change its nuclear doctrine.
Gulf states are reportedly pressuring Washington to prevent Israel from attacking Iran’s oil installations, fearing their own facilities could become targets if the conflict escalates, according to three Gulf sources who spoke to Reuters.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant issued a stern warning to Iran in a video statement: “Our strike will be deadly, precise and, above all, surprising. They won’t understand what hit them and how it happened. They will see the results.”
In their efforts to avoid being caught in the crossfire, Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, are also refusing to allow Israel to use their airspace for any attacks on Iran.
This stance has been communicated to Washington, according to three sources close to government circles.
Meanwhile, Israel continues its offensive in Gaza and Lebanon.
On Thursday evening, Israel struck Beirut again, killing at least 22 people. The military said the target was a Hezbollah commander, who reportedly survived the attack.
(information from in.gr)
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