We have completed preparations for an Iranian attack, says DM Gallant in security assessment

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held an operational assessment of Israeli military forces in light of an anticipated escalation in the north due to the assassination of the Iranian IRGC senior official Brig.-Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi last week. Israel has still not officially claimed responsibility for the attack. 

At the end of the assessment, Gallant said that “the defense establishment has completed its preparations for a response against any scenario that develops vis-à-vis Iran.” 

The defense minister reported that “the enemy has been severely damaged in all places and therefore is looking for ways to respond - we are prepared with multi-layered defense.” 

Israel Defense Forces is preparing for a variety of potential scenarios on Israel’s northern front, including missile barrages, drone swarms, and even infiltration of the north by terror squads, such as Hezbollah’s Radwan Force through tunnels. 

IDF Chief of Operations Maj.-Gen. Oded Basyuk attended the meeting, along with Military Intelligence Director Aharon Haliwa, who recently told his subordinates: “I have told you more than once and not twice that it is not certain that the worst is behind us, we are facing complex days.” 

The IDF also announced it struck Hezbollah targets near Baalbek, deep in Lebanese territory, after an Israeil Air Force (IAF) drone was shot down in Lebanon. This was the second strike on Hezbollah sites in Baalbek since the start of the war in Gaza.

In addition, IAF jets struck terrorist infrastructure and a military building belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the areas of Aita a-Shaab and Al-Adisa, while IDF artillery attacked Hezbollah sites near Yatar. 

In apparent retaliation for those strikes, Sunday morning saw a barrage of around 20 rockets launched by Hezbollah at Israel’s northern territories, particularly the Golan Heights. Air raid sirens sounded in the community of Merom HaGolan. The IDF said the missiles fell in open areas and no casualties or damages were reported from the rockets. 

In response, IDF artillery struck several Hezbollah sites from the area where the rockets had been launched. 

Against the backdrop of concerns about an Iranian retaliation, several Israeli embassies abroad were also evacuated, following an assessment of the situation by Shin Bet and the the Israeli foreign ministry. Some Israeli representatives were transferred to alternative locations and were instructed not to attend public events for the time being.

"In several cases, we were forced to recall some diplomats abroad due to alerts and risks,” an Israeli foreign ministry official told Ynet News.