A senior official told CNN that the US government believes retaliation by Iran is “inevitable”, and added that the Israelis share this assessment. Officials warned that an attack could come as soon as next week.
According to officials who spoke to NBC News and CBS News, American intelligence suggests that Iran could use “a swarm” of Shahed kamikaze drones and cruise missiles, and that Tehran could target an Israeli diplomatic or consular facility.
The potential attack was discussed during a phone call between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, CNN reported.
There were no major attacks on US personnel in the region since late January when a kamikaze drone killed three soldiers stationed at a remote outpost near the Jordanian-Syrian border.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei promised that Israel will “receive a slap in the face”. Officials in Tehran also made threats against the US, although Washington claimed that it was unaware that the strike on Iran’s mission in Damascus would happen.
