Israel officially announced, through its media outlets and statements by the defence minister, the launch of a pre emptive attack on Iran, in a significant development that shifts regional tensions into a phase of direct military confrontation.
Al Jazeera correspondent in Palestine, Elias Karram, explained that the announcement followed days of heightened anticipation within Israeli political and military circles, which had suggested that Israel would initiate the attack first, to be followed by the United States.
Citing Israeli security sources, as well as discussions circulating in American circles, the correspondent indicated that the military operation was not a unilateral act. Rather, it was a joint Israeli American assault coordinated and prepared over several months, not a reaction to developments in recent weeks or months.
He stated that planning for the attack predated the popular protests witnessed in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and other Iranian cities earlier this year. It also proceeded independently of the negotiations held in Geneva, reflecting that the military decision had already been taken in advance.
Escalatory Background and an Anticipated Round
Karram noted that political and military analysts in Israel, following the attack that took place in June of last year, had assessed that a new round of confrontation had become inevitable. According to their view, Israel “had not completed the mission as required”.
With the commencement of the attack, a maximum state of emergency was declared across Israel. Sirens sounded from the north of the country to its far south. Instructions were issued by Israel’s Home Front Command calling on residents to remain near fortified rooms and shelters.
The Al Jazeera correspondent added that, as of now, there are no new alerts indicating a direct Iranian missile response to the attack, despite the extensive state of readiness.
Karram confirmed that Israeli hospitals were placed on emergency footing in recent minutes, amid anticipation of possible field developments, while Israeli authorities continue to assess the security situation in preparation for any Iranian response.
Israel Raises State of Alert
For his part, Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Ramallah, Walid Al Omari, explained that the Israeli army statement came after sirens were heard, following the execution of an attack targeting the Iranian capital, in addition to bombardment affecting southern Lebanon.
This came after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel had begun a “pre emptive attack” and had so far carried out several air strikes on Iran. The statement clearly signalled the outbreak of a war that Israel had been seeking for some time, despite international efforts calling for a diplomatic settlement between Tehran and the United States.
Al Omari pointed out that in recent days Israel had witnessed the arrival of substantial American air reinforcements, including dozens of advanced fighter jets, particularly F 22 aircraft, along with refuelling planes. The American aircraft carrier Ford was also reported to have arrived, and is believed to have docked last night off the coast of Haifa.
According to Al Omari, Israel confirms that the level of coordination between it and the United States in these developments was at its highest. This was despite expectations surrounding a visit by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had been scheduled to arrive last Wednesday but postponed his visit until next Monday.
Al Omari noted that some observers viewed the postponement of the visit, alongside the departure of the Indian Prime Minister from Israel two days earlier, as indicators of what appeared to be a “deception operation”. The impression conveyed was that Israel would not launch the attack before Rubio’s arrival. However, Israeli strikes were indeed launched, with Israel Katz confirming that they represent “the beginning of a pre emptive attack”.
