Israel has raised its security alert to the highest level amid concerns that the United States could carry out military action against Iran, as protests continue across the country.
Israeli authorities have raised their alert level to the highest degree amid concerns that the United States could intervene militarily in Iran, Reuters news agency reported on Sunday, citing three informed Israeli sources.
According to Reuters, the sources, who were present at Israeli security consultations, did not explain what the heightened alert level practically entails or what specific measures have been implemented.
One of the Israeli sources reportedly told Reuters that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of US intervention in Iran during a phone call on Saturday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. A US official confirmed that the call took place but declined to disclose the subjects discussed.
Meanwhile, the US-based news website Axios reported on Saturday that Netanyahu and Rubio discussed developments related to Gaza, Syria, and Iran during the phone call.
US President Donald Trump has issued repeated warnings in recent days, threatening possible intervention and cautioning Iran against using force against protesters. On Saturday, he claimed that the United States was “ready to help” the Iranian people.
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Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Saturday evening that the prevailing assessment within Israel is that the US president may act on his threats and carry out a military strike against Iran.
In the same context, the Israeli news website Walla reported that local authorities in several Israeli cities, including Petah Tikva in central Israel, have begun taking precautionary measures in anticipation of a possible confrontation with Iran or one of its allies in the region.
The Wall Street Journal quoted US officials as saying that Trump administration officials have discussed how an attack on Iran could be carried out in order to fulfill the president’s threats. According to the newspaper, the discussions included identifying potential targets inside Iran, including military sites.
US is ‘Responsible’
On Saturday, Tehran accused Israel of seeking to undermine Iran’s stability, holding it “responsible for the current situation” and stating that the country is “in the midst of a war and a conspiracy.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has accused the US and Israel of fueling the protests in Iran, saying that while economic grievances are real, the likelihood of direct military intervention against the country remains slim.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised address that the unrest was being directed by the United States and Israel with the aim of undermining Iran’s security. He said that Iranians have the right to protest and express objections, but rejected acts such as arson, attacks on markets, and violence against civilians and security forces.
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Pezeshkian said the government remains committed to continuing economic reforms and stressed that authorities distinguish between legitimate protests and organized acts of rioting. He said state institutions are prepared to listen to public demands through legal and institutional channels and warned against allowing violence to distort social grievances.
The Iranian president also said that security agencies had identified what he described as trained elements operating inside the country, as well as individuals who entered Iran from abroad to carry out acts of sabotage. He said these actions were part of a coordinated effort to destabilize the country.
Iranian officials have reported damage to public and private property during the unrest, as well as casualties among civilians and members of the police, the Basij, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Authorities say the unrest has coincided with clashes involving separatist groups in some western regions of the country.
(PC, AJA, Reuters, Axios)
