A direct attack by Iran on Israel could happen in the next few hours, reports CBS News with reference to American officials.
Two US officials told reporters that a major Iranian attack on Israel would likely involve more than 100 drones and dozens of missiles aimed at military targets inside the country.
According to the sources, it will be difficult for the Israelis to defend against an attack of this scale. The interlocutors added that while the Iranians may choose a smaller attack to avoid a sharp escalation, their response is inevitable.
Tehran has not officially announced how and when it will open fire. However, there are fears that a direct attack on Israel could escalate into a wider regional conflict.
Prehistory
On the morning of April, there was an attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Then two Iranian generals and five officers were killed, including the influential Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran blamed Israel for the attack.
After Iranʼs threats to retaliate, the IDF strengthened its defenses on April 4 and put units and reserves on alert. At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to a possible attack by Iran, noting that Israel has been fighting its belligerent neighbor for years and will be able to defend itself.
On April 10, Iranʼs Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei repeated his statement that Israel "must be and will be punished" for the attack on the countryʼs embassy in Syria.