Israel declares heightened alert amid signs of possible joint strike on Iran

Israel has raised its alert level and intensified military preparations amid growing indications of a possible joint US-Israeli strike on Iran in the coming days, two Israeli sources told CNN

Israel has for weeks expressed doubts about US-Iran negotiations and is accelerating its operational and defensive planning, according to sources including a military official, despite publicly reported progress in the second round of talks on February 17.

One source said that any potential attack, if authorised by US President Donald Trump, is expected to go beyond the twelve-day conflict that erupted in June and would involve coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel. 

The sources added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held several private security consultations this week to assess readiness and coordination.

Former Israeli military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin said on February 18 that Israel was much closer than it had previously been to launching an attack.

Speaking on Israel’s Channel 12, he added that although he attended the Munich Security Conference last week, “I will think carefully before travelling by air this weekend.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee held a closed session with the commander of the Israeli military’s Home Front Command. 

“We are going through difficult days in confronting Iran,” committee chairman Boaz Bismuth said, adding that the government and the public are “preparing for any scenario” in the confrontation.

By Jeyhun Aghazada