Biden told that timing, details of Iran’s attack still unclear: Reports
Axios and the Reuters news agency are reporting that US national security officials have told Biden and Harris that it is still unclear when Iran and Hezbollah will launch a retaliatory attack against Israel.
Axios, citing three US officials, said Biden and Harris were told that US “intelligence expects a scenario involving two waves of attacks – one from Hezbollah and one from Iran and several of its other proxies”.
But it is still unclear who is going to attack first and what kind of attack they are going to conduct, the officials said, according to Axios.
It added that “one US official said intelligence indicates the response by Iran and Hezbollah is still a ‘work in progress’ and both are undecided about what exactly they want to do”.
Austin, Gallant call attack on US troops a ‘dangerous escalation’
The US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin just had another phone call with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant.
The Pentagon said Austin reiterated Washington’s “commitment to Israel’s security in the face of threats from Iran, Lebanese Hizballah [sic], and other Iran-aligned militia groups”.
The pair also agreed that an attack on US forces in Iraq earlier on Tuesday “marked a dangerous escalation and demonstrated Iran’s destabilizing role in the region”. Austin spoke to Gallant on Monday also and discussed moves to “deter and de-escalate broader tensions in the region”.
Funny Iraq describes the US bases as destabilizing forces in the region.
BAGHDAD, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Iraq wants a quick and orderly negotiated exit of U.S-led military forces from its soil but has not set a deadline, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said, describing their presence as destabilising amid regional spillover from the Gaza war.
48% of Israelis support preemptive strike against Iran, Hezbollah: Poll
A poll by Israel’s 103FM radio has found that close to half of the public (48 percent) are in favour of a preemptive strike against Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Some 34 percent of Israelis, however, support a strike only if Israel is attacked first, according to the poll.
Since the killing last week of several Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, including Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Israel has been bracing for an expected retaliatory attack from Iran and its allies.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has promised that Iran will deliver “harsh punishment”.
Public ‘sitting in fear’ of potential Iran attack, says Israeli mayor
Avichai Stern, the mayor of Israel’s Kiryat Shmona, which has been a frequent target of Hezbollah attacks during the Gaza war, says Israelis are living in fear due to the looming threat of all-out war, and urged the military to preemptively strike Iran rather than wait for its retaliation.
“Nine million citizens are sitting in fear in a sovereign state, waiting to see what will happen,” Stern told Israel’s Channel 14. “Today we are waiting for a ballistic missile attack from Iran; next time we might wait for a nuclear or atomic attack – it’s absurd!
“We need a preemptive strike,” he added.
No, you need to stop your genocide and all other crimes against humanity. A preemptive strike will only hasten all out war, not prevent it.
