Israel: Military Fighters Ready for 'Defense and Attack'

Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israeli army, stated on Thursday, April 5, that Israel takes every threat seriously and its fighters are prepared for both defense and attack. Mr. Hagari referred to Israel's 'multi-front' war over the past six months, adding, 'We are in a state of full readiness in all areas.' The Israeli army spokesperson emphasized the repeated neutralization of threats from multiple fronts against the country, stating, 'We are at a high level of preparedness for defense and attack.' According to him, Israel is continuously assessing the current situation and takes every statement from its enemies seriously. Daniel Hagari added, 'We have increased readiness in combat units, strengthened our [air] defense systems, and our planes are ready for defense and attack.' The Israeli army spokesperson said that forces are deployed 'along all borders' and are prepared for 'various scenarios.' Daniel Hagari urged Israeli citizens to act cautiously and await further updates from the army. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Ministry told the Times of Israel that none of Israel's embassies have been closed and there is currently no plan to evacuate them. Some Israeli media reported on Thursday that following threats from the Iranian government regarding 'retaliation' for the alleged Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic's consulate in Damascus, Israel would close its embassies worldwide. Yoav Galant, Israel's Defense Minister, held a 'multi-front situational assessment' meeting with Israeli defense and security officials. According to the Times of Israel, in this meeting were Herzi Halevi, Chief of Staff of the army, Ronen Bar, head of Shin Bet, David Barnea, head of Mossad, and senior commanders of the Israeli army. Daniel Hagari's statements about the readiness of Israeli fighters for defense and attack came hours after the army temporarily canceled the leave of all its combat units. According to the Israeli army's statement, this decision was made 'based on the current situation assessment,' as 'the Israeli army is at war and troop deployments are being continuously assessed based on requirements.' On Wednesday, April 4, the Israeli army also announced that it had called up its reserve forces to strengthen air defense. Meanwhile, Reuters journalists and residents of Tel Aviv reported disruptions in GPS services on Thursday. According to Reuters, this action was taken to counter guided missiles. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors developments in the country's civil war, reported on Thursday that Hezbollah and other militias supported by the Islamic Republic across Syria have been put on alert. According to this UK-based organization, this is the first time since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hamas that militias affiliated with the Islamic Republic in Syria have been ordered to be on alert. Tensions between Jerusalem and Tehran have increased following the alleged Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic's consulate building in Damascus. In this attack, seven senior members of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, commander of the Quds Force (Lebanon and Syria branch), and his deputy, Mohammad Hadi Haj Rahimi. The Iranian government has identified Israel as the perpetrator of this attack, and senior officials of the Islamic Republic, including Ali Khamenei, the leader, have threatened that this attack will not go unanswered. A social media account attributed to Ali Khamenei threatened in Hebrew on Wednesday that Israel would regret its 'crime of aggression against the Iranian consulate in Damascus.' Israel has refrained from commenting on attacks attributed to it against the positions of the Islamic Republic and its proxy forces in Syria, following its usual practice. After the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas militants in southern Israel and the commencement of ground and air operations by Israel in Gaza aimed at destroying this group, other militia groups affiliated with the Islamic Republic in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, which Tehran refers to as the 'resistance axis,' have launched attacks against Israel and U.S. forces. Despite abundant evidence, the Islamic Republic denies supporting these militia groups but has always praised these attacks. Amos Yadlin, former head of the Israeli military intelligence agency (Aman), told Reuters that the Iranian government might choose the last Friday of Ramadan, known as 'Quds Day,' to respond to the deadly attack on its consulate in Damascus. He stated that the Islamic Republic's response to this attack could be direct or through its proxy groups. Mr. Yadlin, a former commander of the Israeli Air Force, noted that depending on the consequences of a potential attack, current tensions between the Islamic Republic and Israel could escalate. The Associated Press reported that the U.S. is preparing for possible 'retaliatory attacks' from the Islamic Republic.