US-Iran Tensions Escalate; Israel Prepared to Retaliate if Attacked!
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has asserted that his country is ready to respond “with great force” if attacked by Iran. This declaration comes after hostilities have flared up again between his close ally, the United States, and Iran.
US military forces have been striking Iran-related targets since the end of last week, with Tehran targeting US military positions in various regions of the Middle East in retaliation. So far, Israel has not been a target of Iranian retaliatory strikes.
As reported by AFP on Wednesday (2/9/2cap), Katz stated that Israeli forces are prepared for the possibility of new attacks from Iran during the major Jewish holidays, which begin in mid-September.
“At this moment, they [Iran] are launching attacks against various regions in this area, except against us,” Katz said during a conference organised by two leading Israeli media outlets, Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth, on Wednesday.
“But there is a possibility they will attack us. We are ready to face it from a defensive standpoint,” the Israeli Defence Minister emphasised.
If Iran launches an attack, Katz stated, Israel will “respond with great force, independently without depending on any other party.”
“Our aircraft are ready to take off,” he added.
On Wednesday, Iran launched a series of attacks against various US military positions throughout the Middle East, in response to large-scale bombings by American forces against its territory.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced attacks on US bases in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Erbil in Iraq.
This represents the most intense exchange of attacks in recent weeks, as the conflict, which has been ongoing for six months, continues to drag on.
Israel, which began the war alongside the US last February, has not been militarily involved since US President Donald Trump reached a fragile ceasefire agreement in April.
“They enjoy launching attacks on Jewish holidays because they hate Jews. Look at the various events that have occurred in the past. However, we are ready both defensively and offensively, in coordination with the United States regarding this matter,” Katz said in his statement.
Iran, whose leaders are staunchly anti-Israel and support armed militants such as Hamas, constitutionally recognises the Jewish community within its borders, which is estimated to number in the thousands.