Senior officials in Jerusalem estimate that in the coming days there will be a further escalation in tensions between the US and Iran, and that the escalation may also involve Israel.
Accordingly, Israel is on alert for such a scenario and the IDF is preparing for a variety of scenarios. As part of the preparations, the US has begun sending dozens of refueling planes to Israel in preparation for the possibility of further escalation with Iran and the renewal of the regional war. Some of the planes have already landed in Israel, according to the same sources.
The US has also expanded its travel warning. The US State Department yesterday advised US citizens around the world, especially in the Middle East, to exercise extreme caution.
The US military escalation against Iran continues, but according to senior political and security officials, at this stage Washington is having difficulty imposing a new reality on the Strait of Hormuz. Its options for action are being reduced to a choice between continuing the war of attrition and attempting to reach a political settlement, while Iran continues to hold its main strategic card – control of the Strait.