IDF bolsters troops, air defences as Iran revenge strike looms

The Israel military is calling up reservists and bolstering air defences in an unusual move, as the country prepares for a revenge attack from Iran.

An Israeli army tank on the Gaza border. Picture: AFP.

The Israel military is calling up reservists and bolstering its air defences as the country prepares for a retaliatory attack from Iran – possibly from within its own territory – after the killing of its senior military commanders in Syria this week.

The Israeli Defence Forces said in a statement: “It was decided to increase manpower and draft reserve soldiers to the IDF Aerial Defence Array,” after a threat assessment, according to local media.

The unusual move came after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed revenge for the air strike on the Iranian consular annex in Damascus which killed seven Revolutionary Guards, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ most senior official in Syria, along with his deputy and chief of general staff.

“The defeat of the Zionist regime in Gaza will continue and this regime will be close to decline and dissolution,” Khamenei said in a speech to the country’s officials in Tehran.

“Desperate efforts like the one they committed in Syria will not save them from defeat. Of course, they will also be slapped for that action.”

Israel’s Channel 12 news reported there were concerns Iran could retaliate against Israel by launching missiles from within its own borders rather than via any of its proxies, such as Hezbollah or the Houthis in Yemen.

“I won’t be surprised if Iran fires directly at Israel,” former Military Intelligence head Amos Yadlin told the broadcaster, adding that a January missile strike carried out by Iran on neighbouring Pakistan set a precedent.

Israeli Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant. Picture: Getty Images via AFP.

Such a direct attack would dramatically escalate the current shadow war being carried out by Israel and Iran, particularly if Israel felt compelled to respond accordingly.

However the assessment in Israel is that a response would come via proxies rather than Iran itself, local media reports.

Officials from Israel and the US warned that while Iran did not want to spark an all-out war, Tehran would feel compelled to respond to the assassinations of its military commanders.

An official told The Times of Israel Iran could attack Israel, Israeli embassies or Jewish facilities abroad.

“If they don’t respond in this case, it really would be a signal that their deterrence is a paper tiger,” he said.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said earlier Israel was “increasing preparedness” in the face of threats from across the Middle East.

Speaking at a military drill in Haifa, Mr Gallant said the country’s defence establishment was “expanding our operations against Hezbollah, against other bodies that threaten us,” and reiterated that Israel “strikes our enemies all over the Middle East.”

“We need to be prepared and ready for every scenario and every threat, against near enemies and distant enemies,” Mr Gallant said.

Iran’s state media said the funeral ceremony of the IRGC members would be held on Friday, coinciding with the annual Quds Day, which will see Iranian people march in support of Palestinians and against Israel.

Iran’s supreme leader urged people to take to the streets for this year’s event.

“If in previous years, Quds Day was celebrated only in Islamic countries, this year, most likely, Quds Day will also be celebrated in non-Islamic countries.”

He also said he hoped for a day that “the Muslim world can celebrate the destruction of Israel.”

With AFP