VIDEO: Israel Prepares for Possible Attack: Iron Dome Missile Defense Systems Deployed in North
Israel Prepares for Possible Attack: Iron Dome Missile Defense Systems Deployed in North
Army convinced Tehran still bent on hitting military target to avoid sparking war
Yaniv Kubovich May 09, 2018
An Iron Dome anti-missile system can be seen near the Israeli side of the border with Syria in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israel May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen\ AMIR COHEN/ REUTERS
Syria blames Israel for strike near Damascus; target was Iranian missiles aimed at Israel
Netanyahu says he told Putin: Israel has a need and right to defend itself in the face of Iranian aggression
Israel's preventative actions thwart Iran's revenge from Syria – for now
Syria blames Israel for strike near Damascus; target was Iranian missiles aimed at Israel
Israel prepared for possible rocket fire at Israel, with the army planning for a number of potential responses after a strike in Syria was attributed to Israel hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he is withdrawing the nuclear accord with Iran.
As part of its preparation, the Israel Defense Forces reinforced its aerial defense systems in the north, with additional Iron Dome batteries being deployed.
Israeli defense officials believe Tuesday’s airstrike on Syria has delayed an expected Iranian attack on Israel but hasn’t dented the Iranians’ motivation to carry it out.
The airstrike, for which Israel hasn’t officially claimed responsibility but which is widely seen as an Israeli operation, targeted Iranian missiles aimed at Israel.
On Wednesday, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and other senior IDF officers toured the north to inspect the army’s preparations for a possible Iranian attack. While there, senior IDF officers briefed mayors on the situation and its expected ramifications for civilians living in the Golan Heights.
Syria said Tuesday that Israel carried out an attack on a military base south of Damascus, which was used by Iranian forces. According to reports, Israeli fighter jets entered Syrian airspace and struck Iranian missiles aimed at Israel.
The Israeli military said it identified what it said was unusual movements of Iranian forces in Syria, and it believed those forces were preparing for an imminent retaliation against Israel.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights attributed the attack to Israel and said it killed at least 15 people, including eight Iranians. Earlier, the watchdog said at least nine fighters loyal to the Assad regime had been killed. The state-run Syrian News agency quoted medical sources as saying two civilians were killed.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli military ordered communities in the Golan Heights, bordering Syria, to open public shelters. Intelligence officers and other specialized forces have been called up, though reserve combat units have not been drafted. Israeli military bases were preparing for a possible Iranian attack.
The IDF believes the Iranians’ deployment in Syria gives them only limited capabilities against Israel. Consequently, its assessment is that Iran will retaliate by firing short-range missiles or rockets at the Golan Heights. The Iranians, according to this assessment, don’t actually want to kill Israeli civilians, because Iran understands that this would provoke a harsher Israeli response than attacking Israeli soldiers would.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-prepares-for-attack-iron-dome-missile-defense-system-deployed-1.6073797?utm_source=Push_Notification&utm_medium=web_push&utm_campaign=General
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