Israeli Diplomat Points to 'Very Strong US Military Posture': Iranian Government Has Delayed Attack on Israel

Following Israel's 'preemptive strike' on Hezbollah positions on Sunday morning, Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the US, stated that the 'very strong US military posture in the region' has created deterrence against the Iranian government. In an interview with CBS News, Herzog expressed his belief that the Islamic Republic of Iran is considering an attack on Israel but has currently decided to postpone it. Meanwhile, Charles Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army, arrived in Israel just hours after the Sunday clashes as part of his Middle East tour. According to the Times of Israel, Brown is expected to meet and discuss with senior Israeli military officials. On Sunday morning, he had discussed regional developments with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the 'preemptive' strike against Hezbollah, stating, 'This is not the end of the story.' He emphasized that Hezbollah intended to attack Israel with rockets and drones, and instructed the Israeli army to carry out a strong and preemptive strike to eliminate this threat. He noted that 'the Israeli army destroyed thousands of short-range rockets that all aimed to harm our citizens and forces in Galilee.' Netanyahu added, 'In addition, the Israeli army destroyed all the drones that Hezbollah had fired toward strategic targets in the center of the country.' The Israeli Prime Minister warned Iranian leaders and Hezbollah, saying, 'Nasrallah in Beirut and Khamenei in Tehran must know that this is another step towards changing the situation in the north [of Israel] and returning our citizens safely to their homes.' Amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, a spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House stated that President Joe Biden is 'carefully monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon.' Sean South mentioned that Biden had been in contact with his national security team overnight. At his direction, senior US officials have been in constant communication with their Israeli counterparts. According to South, the US will continue to support Israel's right to defend itself and will strive for regional stability. On Sunday morning, Hezbollah announced that it had fired over 320 projectiles at its targeted bases and points in Israel. In its statement, Hezbollah claimed to have targeted 11 military bases in northern Israel, and one of the videos released on social media shows a Hezbollah drone hitting a highway in northern Israel. Israeli media also reported that military officials stated they had targeted and destroyed launchers that were set to fire towards Israel at 5 AM on Sunday. The Republican leader in the US Senate called Hezbollah 'the most malignant form of cancer' of Iranian influence in the Middle East. Jordanian Airlines canceled its flights to Beirut. The Egyptian President warned about escalating tensions in the region during a meeting with the senior US military commander. Netanyahu reiterated that 'anyone who harms us, we will harm them.'