Iran planning imminent ballistic missile attack on Israel, US warns

Officials at the White House have issued a warning that Iran is preparing to carry out a ballistic missile strike against Israel in the near future. This announcement comes just a day after Israel reported that it had initiated "limited, localized, and targeted ground operations" against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

A high-ranking official from the White House stated on Tuesday afternoon, as reported by both US and European news outlets, that there are signs suggesting Iran is getting ready to soon carry out a ballistic missile attack on Israel.

Tehran promised to take action against Israel in response to a number of attacks on Iran and the militias it supports throughout the Middle East, such as Hezbollah.

“We are taking proactive steps to bolster defenses in order to protect Israel from this assault,” the official stated, cautioning that such actions “will have serious repercussions for Iran.”

If it takes place, the assault could be equal to or even bigger than the barrage of missiles and drones that Iran targeted Israel with in April, according to officials from the White House.

In April, Iran carried out its first explicit assault on Israel, deploying 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles, according to a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces. The majority of these missiles were intercepted by Israel and its allies before reaching their intended destinations.

According to R Adm Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the IDF, the United States had alerted Israel about a possible attack. He mentioned that Israeli troops were on high alert, prepared for both offensive and defensive actions.

Regarding the assault in April, he stated, “We have faced this danger before, and we will address it again.”

He stated, “Iran’s attacks on Israel will lead to repercussions. We have strategies in place and the means to act.”

The possible attack is raising worries that the rising violence in the area might lead to a conflict between Israel and Iran.

On Tuesday night, the US embassy advised all its staff and their families to stay indoors until they receive further instructions. The embassy in Jerusalem also reminded American citizens to remain vigilant and aware of their safety, as unexpected security threats such as mortar and rocket attacks, as well as drone intrusions, can happen at any time.

"The security landscape is complicated and can shift rapidly based on political developments and current incidents," it added.

Due to security events, the US embassy might impose additional travel restrictions on US government staff and their families, preventing them from going to specific regions in Israel, such as the Old City of Jerusalem and the West Bank, without any prior warning.

On Monday evening, Israel launched an offensive into southern Lebanon, referring to it as Operation Northern Arrow, starting with heavy shelling along the border.

The ground operation represents the first instance of Israeli forces conducting extended activities in Lebanon since 2006. That year, a peace agreement was reached following a 34-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Shia militia that controls significant areas in southern Lebanon.

In their first specific request since the military operation began, Israeli officials announced on Monday that they were instructing residents in around 30 villages in southern Lebanon to leave. An Israeli military spokesperson advised individuals to move north of the Awali River, which is nearly 35 miles (55 kilometers) away from the border line separating the two nations. This directive comes as the Israel Defense Forces focused on what they described as Hezbollah's "attack infrastructure" near the United Nations demarcation line.

It's uncertain why Israel instructed residents of specific towns in the south to evacuate while excluding nearby areas. Additionally, the reasoning behind telling them to move so far north remains unclear. The announcement warned, "Be cautious; you are prohibited from heading south. Going south may endanger your life." It also mentioned, "We'll inform you when it's safe to come back."

According to the mayor, Ali Deeb, residents of Burj al-Shemali, a town with a population of around 60,000, received phone alerts instructing them to evacuate due to an order from Israel. This led to a mass exodus as many people decided to leave.

“Some people traveled to Tyre, while others headed to the Awali River. There were also those who remained behind because they had nowhere to go or couldn’t afford to leave,” he noted, adding that “everyone” in the town was feeling frightened.

By Tuesday afternoon, it was still not clear how extensive the ground operation was. Airstrikes targeting locations in Beirut and artillery fire in southern Lebanon persisted throughout the night. According to Lebanese emergency responders, they have found 25 bodies and assisted 13 injured individuals since 8 p.m. on Monday.

Residents informed Reuters that over 600 individuals had taken shelter in a monastery located in the town of Rmeish, close to the blue line, as airstrikes persisted.

On Tuesday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati held discussions with United Nations representatives, during which he described the current situation as "one of the most perilous times in [Lebanon's] history." He stated that "approximately 1 million of our citizens have been forced to flee their homes because of the destructive conflict initiated by Israel against Lebanon."

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has urged for an immediate halt to hostilities and cautioned that “none of us want to go back to the times when Israel was trapped in a difficult situation in southern Lebanon.”

"We all hope to avoid a regional conflict," Lammy stated in a speech aired on the BBC. "The consequences would be devastating for the Middle East and would greatly impact the world economy."

Meanwhile, U.S. officials have expressed measured backing for the mission, as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has concurred with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on the importance of taking apart Hezbollah's attack setup near the border.

Israel's recent military actions come after several significant victories against Hezbollah, which seem to have given Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the confidence to take action against the Iran-supported group, even though there have been substantial diplomatic attempts to prevent an increase in conflict.

Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, was killed in an Israeli attack in Beirut on Friday. This incident has significantly impacted the militant organization and sparked concerns about the possibility of escalating conflict throughout the Middle East.

This came after a fortnight of protests that started with the detonation of communication devices held by Hezbollah members, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries to many others. Since then, Israel has persisted in its bombardment of Beirut and has also carried out strikes in Yemen and Syria, stating that its operations target Iranian-backed militias throughout the region.