Tensions have been high with threats of a strong military response from Iran, after two of its generals were killed in an attack on a Tehran diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital Damascus earlier this week. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack, which Israel has denied.
CNN quoted the US official as saying that senior officials in the Joe Biden administration now believe that a military response from Iran is "inevitable" and that Israeli officials share the same view. The two governments are working to prepare for what is coming, as they anticipate that an Iranian attack could unfold in a variety of ways, and that both US and Israeli assets and personnel could be targeted, the official said.
Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus collapsed after attack on April 1
The upcoming Iranian attack was the main topic of discussion in a phone call between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 4, according to CNN.
As of April 5, the two governments still did not know when and how Iran planned to attack, the official said.
Fearing Iran's retaliation, Israel strengthens air defenses, mobilizes soldiers
Reuters on April 6 quoted an anonymous US official confirming CNN's report, saying the US is on "high alert" and preparing to face an attack from Iran.
Another senior US official said US and Israeli teams "have been in constant and consistent contact since then", and Washington "fully supports the defence of Israel against Iranian threats", according to Reuters.
A direct Iranian attack on Israel is one of the worst-case scenarios the Biden administration is preparing for, as it would lead to a rapid escalation of the already chaotic situation in the Middle East. Such an action could turn the war between Israel and Hamas into a broader regional conflict, a situation Washington has long sought to avoid.
Iran has vowed revenge. after an airstrike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus killed at least seven people. According to Iran's Foreign Ministry, General Mohammed Reza Zahedi, the top commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and his deputy, General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, were among the dead.
At least six Syrian citizens were also killed in the attack, according to Iranian state television.
Washington quickly informed Iran that the Biden administration was not involved and had no prior knowledge of the attack, and warned Iran not to attack US assets.
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