Israel prepares for attack by Iran - Hezbollah fires rockets again
France, Canada, and Jordan joined countries like the U.S. and Germany on Sunday in advising their citizens to leave Lebanon. There is an "increased risk of military escalation," the French Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. The Iran should also "temporarily leave."
The background to these warnings is Iran's threat of retaliation and its allies, Hamas and Hezbollah, against Israel. After Israel officially claimed responsibility for the killing of Hezbollah military chief Fuad Schukr in Beirut, Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Akram al-Ajouri was also killed in Damascus on Wednesday. Israel did not comment on the killing of Ajouri, but Iran blames Israel and threatens "harsh punishment." Hezbollah then fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel. The Israeli army said on Sunday that about 30 projectiles were fired from southern Lebanon, most of which were intercepted. Israel then targeted suspected Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.
Israel is also preparing for the expected major attack by Iran and its allies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after the threats from Tehran that his country is prepared for "every scenario at the highest level - both defensively and offensively."
Israel is also counting on a U.S.-led protection coalition. The U.S. government announced on Friday that it would strengthen its military presence in the Middle East. Additional warships and fighter jets will be sent to protect U.S. forces and defend Israel, the Pentagon said.
In Germany, CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter called on Sunday for the German military to join the protection coalition. "In the face of the impending Iranian attack, the German government must finally wake up and offer Israel military support for defense," he told Spiegel. The German government's anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, also said in the Funke media group newspapers that German military support, at least on request from Israel, would be "justified."
At the same time, intensive diplomatic efforts continued to prevent further escalation in the Middle East crisis. Among other things, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi was expected in Tehran on Sunday for a rare visit. He will deliver a message from King Abdullah II to the Iranian president about "the situation in the region and bilateral relations," the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said. Jordan is an important partner of the U.S. in the Middle East and signed a peace treaty with neighboring Israel in 1994.
In the Gaza Strip, there were further clashes between Israel and Hamas. The war, which started with a brutal attack by the Islamic Palestinian organization, has been going on for almost ten months. Near Tel Aviv, a Palestinian from the occupied West Bank also attacked several people with a knife, killing a 66-year-old woman and an 80-year-old man, according to hospital reports, and injuring two others.
Israeli police described the incident as a "suspected terror attack". The suspect was killed. Right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, visiting the scene, stated: "Our war is not just against Iran, but also on our streets. That's why we've armed the Israeli public with over 150,000 gun licenses."
The international community's concern over the escalating situation in Lebanon led France to advise its citizens to leave, citing an increased risk of military escalation. This heightened tension stems from Iran's threat of retaliation and the actions of its allies, including Hezbollah, which fired missiles into northern Israel.
