The head of US Central Command, Gen. Michael Kurilla, arrived in Israel on Thursday to coordinate on a potential Iranian attack that might come in retaliation for Israel’s bombing of Iran’s consulate in Damascus.
Kurilla was expected to meet with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Herzi Halevi, the head of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
Separately, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Gallant and, according to the Pentagon, told him “that Israel could count on full US support to defend Israel against Iranian attacks.”
US officials believe Iran is planning to target Israel directly and could target military sites on Israeli soil. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that US intelligence indicates an attack could be “imminent.”
Iranian sources told Reuters on Thursday that Tehran has conveyed to Washington that it plans to respond but in a way that’s not meant to lead to a major regional escalation. The sources also said Iran wouldn’t be hasty, signaling the response might not come as soon as the US believes.
Israel likely bombed Iran’s consulate to provoke a wider war to get the US to intervene directly, which must be factored into Iran’s calculations when it comes to a response. Israeli officials threatened direct attacks on Iran if there was a big Iranian attack on Israeli territory.
Israel has a history of carrying out covert attacks inside Iran but appears to be threatening something bigger, such as airstrikes, which would require US support. The US is also expected to help Israel try to intercept any Iranian missiles that are fired at its territory.
The IDF said Thursday that it was on high alert and prepared to defend from an attack with its partners, referring to the US. “We are ready for attack and defense using a variety of capabilities that the IDF has, and also ready with our strategic partners,” said IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari.
Iran is typically very restrained in its response to Israeli attacks, but the bombing of the consulate marked a huge escalation in Israel’s targeting of Iranians in the region. Seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in the bombing, including a senior Quds Force commander and another general.