Iran to Launch Major Attack This Week? White House: Prepared

The White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday (August 12) that Iran or its Middle Eastern proxies may launch a major attack as soon as this week, and the United States is prepared for it. At the same time, Israel has ordered its military to remain on high alert.

Kirby stated that it is currently unclear when Iran will launch the attack, and it’s also difficult to determine what form the attack will take.

“We are closely monitoring this very, very closely. We do agree with the assessment of our Israeli counterparts that Iran and its proxies could take action as soon as this week,” he said. “We must be prepared for a range of major attacks that could potentially occur.”

On July 31, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, Iran, and both Iran and Hamas accused Israel of carrying out the assassination, vowing to retaliate. Kirby stated that following this incident, the United States has increased its military presence in the region.

The United States has pledged to defend Israel and is deploying more military forces to the Middle East region. The Pentagon has ordered the nuclear-powered submarine “USS Georgia” to deploy in the Middle East region and directed the aircraft carrier strike group “USS Abraham Lincoln” to sail to the region at a faster pace.

Speculations suggest that Iran may launch a large-scale attack on Israel using rockets, drones, or other weapons. However, given the backdrop of Hamas seeking a ceasefire agreement with Israel, Iran’s attack on Israel may be somewhat constrained.

Kirby mentioned that an Iranian attack could complicate negotiations.

“If something happens this week, the timing of it will certainly have an impact on those negotiations,” he said.

In response to the potential Iranian attack, the Israeli military is on high alert.

According to a source who informed The Wall Street Journal, after observing Iran and Hezbollah preparing for an attack, Israel has raised its military alert level to high readiness for the first time this month. The source stated that Israel is unsure if the attack is imminent but is proceeding with caution.

The Israeli military stated that Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi approved the plan on Monday and mentioned that offensive and defensive preparations are underway.

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated, “We are in a period of vigilance and readiness where threats from Tehran (referring to Iran) and Beirut (referring to Lebanon) may become a reality. It is important to explain to everyone: readiness, preparedness, and vigilance are not synonyms for fear and panic.”

According to Bloomberg, Israel is also strengthening its critical infrastructure and diversifying it. Apart from the military, local Israeli governments are also preparing for potential attacks. Mayors are ready with battery-operated alarms, emergency personnel have satellite phones, and if there is a need to enter shelters, old-fashioned transistor radios can be a lifeline for people to receive information.

While there are no signs of panic, Israel is preparing for the worst-case scenario, including stockpiling alternative fuels for power plants in case of a disruption in normal supplies.