JERUSALEM: The Israeli military is monitoring Iran and Hezbollah “around the clock” for possible retaliatory strikes against Israel, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagri said.
“We are particularly monitoring what is happening with Iran with all our capabilities,” Hagri said at a news conference on Monday, adding that allies are helping Israel in monitoring.
“We take our enemies’ statements and declarations seriously, and therefore, we are at the highest level of readiness, both in attack and defense,” he said.
He said there had been no changes to security guidelines for the public, reports Xinhua news agency, adding that the Israeli Home Front Command, however, “will promptly update the public” if there are any changes.
He said Israel was carrying out attacks in Lebanon “every day, including today.”
Regional tensions have recently escalated in the Middle East, as Iran and its allies vowed to avenge the killings of Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah senior military commander Fouad Shokor in Beirut, both of which occurred in late July.
Israel has claimed responsibility for Shokor’s murder but has not commented on Haniyeh’s killing, for which Hamas and Iran have blamed Israel.
In mid-April, Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel in retaliation for an attack earlier in the month on the Iranian consulate in Syria that killed seven Iranians, including two military commanders. Israel reported intercepting most of the missiles and drones.
(IANS)
