By Axios | Created at 2024-10-01 14:02:25 | Updated at 2024-10-02 06:33:39
16 hours ago
The U.S. has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel, a senior White House official tells Axios.
The big picture: Tehran has been vowing retaliation after a series of recent Israeli assassinations. The White House believes it is about to begin, and is already warning of "severe consequences" for Iran.
- "We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran," the White House official said.
Driving the news: The expected Iranian attack would come soon after Israel launched its invasion of southern Lebanon on Monday targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia.
- Iran has been promising retaliation against Israel for two months, since the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
- Iran has yet to respond to that attack, and also rebuffed urging from Hezbollah to launch an attack against Israel within the past two weeks, Axios reported.
- U.S. and Israeli officials have been concerned that the Israeli ground invasion and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah — a longtime ally of Iran's supreme leader — would push Iran to change course and get more directly involved to save the militia it has built for decades.
The latest: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement: "We are in the midst of a campaign against Iran's axis of evil. We must stand together. We will stand firm together in the challenging days ahead."
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
