An adviser to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard revealed that the force has presented several options to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regarding potential strikes on Israeli targets, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, noting that among the scenarios being discussed is a direct assault using advanced medium-range missiles.
The American Embassy in Jerusalem announced on Thursday that until further notice, US government employees and their families will be limited to essential travel only within central Israel, Jerusalem, and Beer Sheva.
However, Khamenei has not yet made a decision on these plans. He is apprehensive that a direct assault might result in the interception of the projectiles and provoke a significant retaliation from Israel targeting Iran’s crucial infrastructure.
“The strike proposals are currently under the consideration of the Supreme Leader, who is carefully assessing the political implications,” the IRGC adviser noted.
Iran’s proxies in Syria and Iraq are reportedly preparing for potential attacks, with recent deliveries of drones from Iranian warehouses, according to advisers to the IRGC and the Syrian government.
Additionally, there are discussions about targeting the Golan Heights or even Gaza, to avoid direct attacks within Israel’s internationally recognized borders. Another option being considered is striking Israeli Embassies, particularly in Arab countries.
Below is the security alert the US embassy in Israel sent its employees:
The US Embassy in Jerusalem reminds US citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness as security incidents often take place without warning. The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events.
Out of an abundance of caution, US government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Beer Sheva areas until further notice. US government personnel are authorized to transit between these three areas for personal travel.
This is provided for your information as you make your own security plans.
In response to security incidents and without advance notice, the US Embassy may further restrict or prohibit U.S. government employees and their family members from traveling to certain areas of Israel (including the Old City of Jerusalem) and the West Bank.
US citizens are encouraged to consult the current Travel Advisory and Country Information for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, which advise U.S. citizens to be aware of the continuing risks of travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza due to the security situation and heightened regional tensions and warns against travel to Gaza.
A colleague asked me this morning to join the office pool on when and where the Iranians would attack. I hastened to respond, never and nowhere, but then she noted the possibility that Iran might opt to attack using its proxies in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. I responded that should Hezbollah fire a massive rocket attack on Israel, this would be the end of Lebanon as we know it. As to Syria, Assad has been voicing his objection to Iran’s using his territory to launch attacks on Israel, which could also result in Damascus being altered permanently by the IDF. She then suggested that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has been aching to demolish Iran’s proxies in Yemen and Iraq.
And so, while I still don’t believe there will be a massive retaliatory attack on Israel this weekend (and feel free to send your emails of scorn to my bomb shelter in Raanana should I be proven wrong, God forbid), if such an attack takes place it would be up to Israel to absorb the first wave and then unleash hellfire on the sources of said attack.
And by hellfire, I mean the US-made air-to-surface AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, like the one below:
