The Middle East appears ready to explode as the war atmosphere intensifies just hours after the U.S. declared that Tehran might attack Israel within the next 24 hours. All eyes are on Iran and the anticipated retaliation against Israel, with the main question being when and on what scale the attack will occur.
An emergency security council meeting will be held at the White House under Joe Biden’s leadership early Tuesday morning (Greek time), suggesting a possible Iranian attack could happen within the next few hours. The world watches with bated breath, awaiting Iran’s response to the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
On his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the state of Israel is engaged in a multi-front war “against Iran’s axis of evil,” stating that preparations are being made for both defense and offense.
Preparations for “zero hour” in Israel
As the so-called “zero hour” for Iranian threats against Israel approaches, scenarios heightening the anxiety include the activation of the entire “Axis” or coordinated successive attacks from Iran, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
According to NBC, Israel is preparing for multiple days of Iranian missile and drone attacks. The Times of Israel also reports that a preemptive strike against Iran is being considered if there is conclusive evidence that Tehran is preparing to launch an attack.
Meanwhile, more Western countries are urging their citizens to leave Lebanon “while commercial flights are still available.”
Many countries, including the U.S., the UK, and France, have called on their citizens to leave Lebanon immediately. According to Spiegel, Germany is also preparing to evacuate its citizens from Lebanon due to fears of an escalation in the crisis.
Centcom chief visits Israel
The Israeli military announced today that the head of the U.S. military command for the Middle East (Centcom), General Erik Kurilla, arrived in Israel to assess the security situation amidst regional tensions.
Kurilla met with the chief of the Israeli General Staff, General Herzi Halevi, and together they “assessed the security situation” and their “joint preparations in the region in response to threats in the Middle East,” the military said.
Kurilla also met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who expressed his country’s “gratitude” to the U.S. for “strengthening Israel’s defensive capabilities.” “Your presence in Israel now is a sign of U.S. support for Israel,” he added, addressing the American general.
Iran issues NOTAM – Advises aircraft to reroute
In a recent development indicating that the situation could escalate at any moment, Iran issued a NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) for central, western, and northwestern parts of the country, advising aircraft to change their routes, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran informed Arab diplomats it doesn’t care if its response triggers a general war with Israel.
Travel warnings and flight cancellations – Chaos at Beirut Airport
In this tense atmosphere, more countries are issuing travel advisories to their citizens, advising them to avoid traveling to the region. The latest is Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris, who urged Irish citizens not to travel to Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine “due to increasing instability in the region.”
German airline Lufthansa announced that its flights would avoid Iraqi and Iranian airspace at least until August 7 due to the escalating tensions in the region. It will also suspend flights to Amman, Jordan, and Erbil, Iraq, until that date. Flights to Tel Aviv, Israel; Tehran, Iran; and Beirut, Lebanon, will be suspended until August 12.
So far, Aegean Airlines has canceled all flights to Tel Aviv until August 8, while also extending the suspension of all scheduled flights to and from Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, until Thursday, August 8. Passengers with flights to and from Beirut, Tel Aviv, and Amman through Saturday, August 31, can change or cancel their tickets without cost, the company announced.
Open communication with the U.S.
Israel and the United States are in open communication in recent hours. After convening the national security team for developments in the Middle East, U.S. President Biden will communicate with the King of Jordan.
The U.S. has repeatedly assured that it will support Israel both in the event of an impending Iranian attack and in the ongoing war against Hamas.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 countries that Washington believes an Iranian attack on Israel could begin within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Blinken noted that the U.S. does not know the exact timing of the planned Iranian attack, Axios added, but believes it could start as early as Monday, August 5, according to the Times of Israel.
According to the Pentagon, Washington is already sending more warships and military aircraft to the region to protect U.S. troops deployed there, enhance Israel’s defensive capabilities, and prevent escalation in the Middle East.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights earlier called for “urgent action” to avoid a “wider” conflict in the Middle East amid fears of military confrontation between Iran and its allies and Israel.
“I am deeply concerned by the growing risk of a wider conflict in the Middle East and call on all parties and influential states to urgently act towards de-escalation,” Volker Turk said in a statement.
“Everything must be done, and I mean everything, to prevent further deterioration of the situation and its descent into an abyss with even more terrible consequences for civilians,” he added.
The High Commissioner stressed that “human rights – primarily the protection of civilians – must be the absolute priority.”
“In the last ten months, civilians – mainly women and children – have already endured unbearable suffering due to bombs and gunfire,” he continued.
