The Washington Post said that Israel fears that any attack by Iran will affect its relationship with its allies in the region who helped it thwart the last Iranian attack last April, highlighting that Benjamin Netanyahu's government is preparing for all scenarios, amid warnings of the seriousness of the situation.

In a report by its correspondent in Tel Aviv, Shira Rubin, the newspaper reported that while Israel is preparing to repel an expected attack from Iran, by refueling fighter jets, placing air defense batteries, and coordinating with Washington on the deployment of American military equipment, there are growing concerns about one of its most important lines of defense, which is a regional alliance led by the United States.

It added that this alliance had begun secretly, then appeared in public on April 13 when it helped Israel intercept 99% of more than 300 drones and missiles launched from Iran in the first direct strike of its kind from Tehran after decades of a "hidden war" with Tel Aviv.

Israel is isolated

Following the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Israel has found itself more isolated in the region, which could make it more vulnerable, according to military analysts.

The Washington Post reported that there are other concerns that Israel’s air defense systems will be unable to repel a massive, fully coordinated attack, even with American support.

It noted that countries in the region have downplayed the role they played in thwarting the Iranian attack in April, “for fear of Tehran’s retaliation,” and for fear of being seen as supporting Israel at a time of widespread public anger over the human losses resulting from the war on the Gaza Strip.

These concerns have become “more apparent now,” as many have sought to publicly distance themselves from any involvement in the next round of violence.

According to a senior Israeli politician who helped build the regional alliance and spoke to the newspaper on condition of anonymity, the public statements about that alliance are “very disturbing.” He said that the relations between those countries and Israel are of a "sensitive" nature, and have only been tested once.

He claimed that "Israel is acting completely alone" in the face of the possibility of a full-scale war.

Surprise attack

The newspaper's correspondent in Tel Aviv says that officials believe that this time the attack may be surprising, larger in scale and longer in duration, perhaps lasting for several days instead of a few hours. It could also take the form of coordinated bombing from multiple directions, including Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

She specifically mentioned Hezbollah in Lebanon, noting that over the past 10 months it has been using suicide drones that fly at low altitudes and at high speed to strike military sites and private homes in Israel, and are capable of evading Israeli air defense systems.

For his part, Yoel Guzansky, a former official in the Israeli National Security Council who now works as a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, expects Hezbollah to initiate the attack, and it is likely to fire towards Tel Aviv and use guided missiles.

The worst-case scenario, he said, would be a multi-front attack by other Iranian allies designed to “challenge the capabilities of Israeli systems to the maximum extent, which can be crushed, as they depend - as we saw in April - on the regional alliance that provides them with strategic depth.”

The former security official continued that Israel has informed Hezbollah and Iran that striking civilian population centers would be a red line and would lead to a strong response.

For his part, Defense Minister Yoav Galant warned - in a message in Arabic published yesterday, Thursday, on the X website - that if Hezbollah continues its attacks, Israel will fight it with all its might, adding that “whoever plays with fire can expect destruction.”

Preemptive strike?

The American newspaper reported - quoting Israeli media - that Israel may also consider launching a preemptive strike on Iran, if it concludes that an Iranian attack is imminent.

It revealed that the head of the US Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, visited Israel for the second time this week to discuss military coordination between the two countries.

The newspaper pointed out that Washington has deployed modern military equipment, including a squadron of F-22 Raptors, naval cruisers and destroyers, and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying ships, which are heading to the Middle East to replace another aircraft carrier group that will leave the region.

The newspaper quoted Israel Ziv, a retired general who served as the army's chief of staff, as saying that the United States is more interested in the current developments than it was in April, but it also realizes that a war in the region will affect the economy, and it is in its interest to stop the escalation.

However, Ziv warned Israel against taking American support for granted, saying that it might make a mistake if it entered a regional war believing that it has the equipment and resources to help it fight it.

Source: Washington Post+Al Jazeera