UPDATE - 'Maximum alert': Netanyahu orders Home Front Command to prepare for potential war with Iran

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

By Zein Khalil​​​​​​​

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the Israeli Home Front Command to prepare for a potential war with Iran, Israeli media reported Wednesday evening.

Netanyahu issued directives to “various rescue agencies and the Home Front Command to prepare for war,” according to the daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

The newspaper added that “a state of maximum alert has been declared across various Israeli security agencies.”

Separately, Israel's public broadcaster KAN said that the Security Cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday to discuss developments in Iran has been rescheduled for Sunday, without providing any additional details.

The newspaper said in its report that “in Israel, assessments indicate that US President Donald Trump is inclined to launch a large-scale military attack on Iran soon, given Tehran’s rejection of US demands in the negotiations.”

It added that “the Trump administration believes the Iranians are trying to buy time and deceive the United States.”

Yedioth Ahronoth said that “in the limited security consultations held by Benjamin Netanyahu in recent days, the prevailing assumption was that Iran would launch missiles at Israel even if the Israeli army does not take part in the US attacks.

“In any case, there is an impression in Israel that zero hour is approaching and that timelines are shrinking.

“After talk yesterday of two weeks, and before that of roughly a month, there are now indications that the timeframe is being measured in just a few days.”

In a related development, former head of Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate (Aman) Amos Yadlin said on Wednesday: “We are much closer to an attack than we were before.”

Meanwhile, Israel Hayom quoted unnamed sources as saying Israeli assessments indicate that if the US launches a large-scale attack on Iran, the likelihood of Iran responding by striking Israel with long-range missiles would be very high.

Israel has put its forces on heightened alert and stepped up military preparations as indications grow that a coordinated strike with the US on Iran may be imminent, CNN Arabic reported earlier, citing two unnamed Israeli sources.

The reports come as Washington has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to the region, with the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier also on its way, alongside additional fighter jets.

US Vice President JD Vance described Tuesday's Geneva talks as productive "in some ways," but said Iran was "not yet willing" to engage on Trump's "red lines." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the atmosphere "more constructive."

*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.