Israel says it is prepared for any retaliatory attack from Iran or Hezbollah

Israel said Saturday its military was prepared for any possible retaliatory attacks by Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah or Iran for the killings of their senior leaders.

The news comes amid claims in the Israeli media that there are situational assessments that Hezbollah could attack soon.

Both Hezbollah and Iran have been threatening to retaliate against Israel since a string of figures in Iran-backed militant groups were killed over a span of weeks. Those killings included the death of Hezbollah’s most senior military commander Fu’ad Shukr in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut at the end of July and the assassination of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Asked about the threats of retaliation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters Saturday that the military was prepared for any possible attack by either Hezbollah or Iran.

“We take our enemies’ threats seriously and we’ve been ready for a long period. We’re highly prepared both in the offense and defense, but above all, any threat toward the citizens of Israel we identify, we eliminate, and that’s how we’ll continue. Any development that will be, we’ll update the public immediately,” Hagari said.

Hagari was then pressed by a reporter from Israel’s state-run Kan 11 television channel, who said there were situational assessments that Hezbollah could attack soon. The IDF spokesperson did not say whether he was familiar with those assessments, nor did he give any indication of when an attack might be expected.

“We’ve been, like I said, we’ve been ready, first of all, both in offense and defense, for a long time. We operate to eliminate threats and will continue to do so. With any change or development, we will immediately update the public. Our mission is to defend the citizens of Israel,” Hagari said.

A major attack against Israel could risk disrupting the ceasefire talks that US officials have said were at an advanced stage prior to the assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran, which Iran has blamed on Israel. Israel hasn’t confirmed or denied responsibility.

There are currently 109 Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, including 36 believed to be dead, according to data from the Israeli government press office. This week, the bodies of six Israeli hostages were retrieved from tunnels in Gaza in an Israeli military operation in the city of Khan Younis.

Israel’s war in Gaza was launched after Hamas-led militants attacked the country on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. More than 40,200 people have died in Gaza during the war, according to Palestinian authorities.