Israeli army chief of staff wraps up assessment of army’s readiness for Iran attack: Report

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi wrapped up a “comprehensive” assessment of the army’s readiness for an Iran attack, the army reported Friday.

The army “is well prepared in attack and defense against any threat. We are at war and have been on high alert for about six months,” he said, according to an army statement reported by The Times of Israel newspaper.

The military “continues to closely monitor what is happening in Iran and in the various arenas, while constantly preparing to deal with existing and potential threats in coordination with the United States armed forces,” said Halevi.

He added that forces “are prepared and ready at any time and against any scenario.”

Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said at a news conference Friday that it is prepared for the potential Iranian attack “with a variety of capabilities.”

“Our defense is ready, and knows how to handle each threat individually. We are also ready for attack, with a variety of capabilities, to protect the citizens of Israel,” he said.

Hagari pointed out that “there is no change in the internal instructions, but the coming days require us to be alert and prepared.”

He continued: "We presented to the chief of staff our defensive and offensive preparations to deal with any attack."

Hagari claimed that Iran “is escalating the situation in the Middle East,” citing attacks by its proxies in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

“We’ll know how to deal with the Iranian threat. We are well-prepared and will know how to respond to anything,” he added.

Israel is preparing for the possibility of retaliatory attacks from Iran following the assassination of Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi and other high-ranking officials in an airstrike that Tehran blamed on Israel that targeted the Iranian consular section building of its embassy in Damascus earlier this month.

The schedule of a US general's visit to Israel has not been disclosed.