Top US General rushes to Israel as massive Iran attack threat looms | World | News
A top US general is travelling to Israel ahead of schedule as a threat of a massive attack by Iran looms, according to reports.
The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that CENTCOM Commander General Michael “Erik” Kurilla’s pre-scheduled visit to Israel was “moved up” due to recent developments with Iran.
This comes after Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant told US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday that “a direct Iranian attack on Israeli territory will compel Israel to respond in an appropriate way against Iran.”
On Wednesday, Israel‘s foreign minister warned that his country’s forces would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel.
The comments come amid heightened tensions between the rival powers following the killings of Iranian generals in a blast at the Iranian consulate in Syria earlier this month.
READ MORE: UK told to brace for ‘direct military action’ against Iran
Israel has attacked scores of Iranian-linked targets in Syria over the years with the apparent intent of disrupting arms transfers and other cooperation with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. The Israeli army rarely comments on these attacks. Since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza began six months ago, there have been near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Gaza’s Hamas rulers, who triggered the war by attacking southern Israel on October 7, are also backed by Iran. Tehran also backs an umbrella group of Iraqi militias targeting US military bases and positions in Syria and Iraq, known as The Islamic Resistance of Iraq.
And while the US has claimed that it had nothing to do with the airstrike in Damascus, it may not be enough for the US to avoid retaliation targeting its forces in the region.
Last week, a top US commander warned of danger to American troops. Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who heads US Air Forces Central, said that the persistent American retaliatory strikes on the Iran-backed militia group have “certainly affected their behaviour. Their pace of operations is not what it was.”