JERUSALEM, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israel and its allies were preparing on Monday for an expected retaliatory attack from Iran and its allies after the killing of senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shokor in Beirut and the assassination of Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Israel has claimed responsibility for the killing of Shokor, but has not commented on the assassination of Haniyeh, which Hamas and Iran have attributed to Israel.
Iran has rejected calls for negotiation regarding its planned response and has vowed to punish Israel. "Iran seeks to establish stability in the region, but this will only come with punishing the aggressor and creating deterrence against the adventurism of the Zionist regime (Israel)," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday, adding that an Iranian reaction was inevitable.
"As far as the violation of our territorial integrity is concerned, we will not make any compromises," he stated.
Israeli leaders have indicated that the country is prepared for an Iranian-led attack, including potential actions from Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi forces in Yemen, and Iraqi militias.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the Israeli forces were preparing for "a swift transition to offense." During a visit to an Air Force command center, he conducted a situation assessment with top aerial commanders.
His office said in a statement that "in light of recent developments, the minister was briefed on air defense readiness and on potential offensive capabilities that may be employed in each arena."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi had approved "operational plans for various scenarios."
"Our future offensive plans are ready, and we are prepared, across all units, including me down to the last soldier," said Ori Gordin, IDF's Commanding Officer of the Northern Command, during a meeting with local authorities in northern Israel. "We are determined to change the situation here in the north and bring our residents back home."
More American forces were moving to the region to bolster defenses in and around Israel. The United States was deploying additional warships, including a guided missile cruiser and missile destroyer, as well as another squadron of fighter jets, Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported.
Britain is also expected to help protect Israel in case of an attack, Kan reported.
In April, the United States, Britain, and Jordan helped Israel intercept an Iranian-led retaliatory strike of over 300 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. The attack was a response to an earlier Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate in Syria, which killed two Iranian generals.
As part of the effort to build a similar coalition, Commander of U.S. Central Command Michael Erik Kurilla arrived in Israel for consultations. He met with Gallant and Halevi. A photo released by the IDF showed top commanders from both forces at the Kyria military base in Tel Aviv.
The IDF said in a statement that they held "a joint situational assessment on security and strategic issues, as well as joint preparations in the region, as part of the response to threats in the Middle East."
Israel's Ynet news website reported on Monday that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told G7 ministers on Sunday that the counterattack is expected to begin within the next 24-48 hours.
Gallant also spoke with his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto. On the social media platform X, Gallant noted that he updated Crosetto on "security developments and threats posed by Iran and its proxies," and discussed IDF readiness and cooperation with allies. Gallant urged allied countries to "stand with Israel at this time."
Meanwhile, a growing number of airlines, including Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Lufthansa, have suspended flights to Israel due to concerns over instability. ■
