Iran has urged the US to “step aside” as it readies a response to a suspected Israeli attack on its consulate in Syria, while Hezbollah, its primary proxy in the Middle East, has cautioned Israel of its preparedness for conflict.
In a written communication to Washington, Mohammad Jamshidi, the Iranian president’s deputy chief of staff for political affairs, conveyed Iran’s warning to the US not to become entangled in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategies. Jamshidi emphasized that the US should “step aside so that you don’t get hit.”
“In response, the US asked Iran not to hit American targets,” Jamshidi stated. However, there has been no official US comment on the reported message from Iran.
CNN reported that the US is vigilant and bracing for a “significant” retaliatory action from Iran against targets in the region, with a focus on Israeli or American interests. This alert was cited from an unnamed US official.
NBC, citing two unnamed US officials, reported concerns within President Joe Biden’s administration that any potential attack could target locations inside Israel, particularly military or intelligence installations rather than civilian areas.
Bloomberg reported that the Biden administration took the unusual step of directly informing Iran that it was unaware of Monday’s strike in Damascus beforehand, suggesting an effort to prevent possible attacks on US forces and bases in the Middle East.
Iran has pledged to deliver a “slap” to Israel, its long-standing adversary. However, the timing and method of this response remain uncertain, including whether Iran will opt for a direct attack or through proxy groups like Hezbollah, based in Lebanon.
The airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus resulted in the deaths of at least seven Iranians, including two generals. While Israel has targeted Iran-affiliated assets in Syria previously, this marked the first instance of an attack on an Iranian diplomatic facility.
Israel heightened its alert status following the incident, including the cancellation of home leave for combat troops, mobilization of reserves, and reinforcement of air defenses. Additionally, navigational signals over Tel Aviv were scrambled to disrupt potential GPS-guided threats.
Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, affirmed on Friday that Iran’s response is imminent. However, he clarified that Hezbollah would not interfere in Iran’s decisions regarding retaliation. Nasrallah underscored the coordinated efforts of Iran-backed resistance groups in the region.
Despite engaging in regular clashes with Israel along Lebanon’s southern border, Hezbollah asserted that it has refrained from using its primary arsenal since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7.
Nasrallah emphasized Hezbollah’s readiness for any conflict with Israel, underscoring the militia’s preparedness.
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