Israel warns Washington of risk of an Iranian strike under the guise of military exercises - Report
"No one is ready to take the risk of considering that it is only a simple exercise," an Israeli source confided according to the report
Israel has recently warned the United States that a missile-firing exercise by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) could be used as cover for preparations for a surprise attack on Israeli territory, according to a report by Axios.
Citing Israeli and US officials, the report says Israeli intelligence currently assesses the likelihood of an Iranian strike as below 50 percent but notes that Israel’s security posture has shifted dramatically since the October 7 attacks. “No one is willing to take the risk of assuming this is just an exercise,” one Israeli source said, adding that Israel’s tolerance for potential threats has sharply decreased.
US officials, however, said American intelligence has so far found no concrete evidence that Iran is actively preparing to attack Israel. Still, both sides are said to be concerned about a dangerous escalation scenario driven by miscalculation, in which each party fears an imminent strike by the other and opts for preemptive action.
Against this backdrop, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly raised the issue directly with CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, urging readiness for a rapid response should the IRGC maneuvers mask an actual attack. Neither the IDF nor the US military publicly commented on the reported discussions.
While Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities remain below pre-June war levels, when Tehran was believed to possess roughly 3,000 missiles and 400 launchers, Israeli and US officials say Iran has recently begun rebuilding its arsenal following that 12-day conflict.
The growing concern has been echoed by US Senator Lindsey Graham, who told i24NEWS Hebrew edition's Amichai Stein that Iran’s missile program now poses a threat on par with its nuclear ambitions, reinforcing fears in both Jerusalem and Washington of a mounting strategic risk tied to Tehran’s military posture.