US Supports Israel: Warplanes and Ships Are Being Sent to the Region
The US Department of Defense announced that it will send additional warplanes and warships to the region in order to increase Israel’s security in response to threats from Iran. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had ordered two warships carrying fighter jets to the Mediterranean to provide protection against possible attacks on Israel.
In a phone call with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, Austin stressed the need to reduce tensions in the region, but also said his country would continue to provide strong support to Israel. Austin said he would make the arrangements necessary for the American military presence in Israel’s security and that he had instructed additional military support to be sent in case of a possible Iranian attack.
Warships in the Mediterranean
Among the ships that the US has sent to the Mediterranean to protect Israel is the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has a ballistic missile defense system. This ship will replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which was previously in the region but did not carry such systems. In addition, additional cruisers and destroyers with ballistic missile defense capabilities will be sent to the region. The US also aims to increase its ground-based ballistic missile defense capabilities. Austin stated in his meeting with Gallant that he will also send an additional fighter jet fleet to the region to defend Israel.
New Threats: Tel Aviv and Haifa Targeted
Similar tensions between Iran and Israel occurred in April when the Iranian Consulate in Damascus was hit by Israel. At the time, Iran responded to the attack with symbolic missile strikes. However, it is now observed that Iran is planning a different attack on Israel. The Keyhan newspaper, run by the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, claimed that the upcoming operation will target strategic centers deep inside Israel, such as Tel Aviv and Haifa. According to the newspaper, Israeli ships traveling from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean could also be subject to heavy attacks.
Panic at Ben Gurion Airport
The revenge statements of the Hezbollah organization in Iran and Lebanon and the US’s buildup of defense forces in the region have caused great panic in Israel. Images posted on social media showed that the streets of Tel Aviv were empty. The city’s David Ben Gurion Airport was overflowing with thousands of people trying to leave Israel. According to the Israeli press, the airport’s official website crashed due to a temporary glitch, while normal operations continued. The airport operator reported that the problem was due to heavy arrivals and that efforts were being made to fix the glitch.
10 Countries Halt Flights
The commentary of Iranian state television that “the world will witness important developments” and Khamenei’s statements that “the Zionist state has come to an end” strengthen the possibility of a possible attack. It is also noteworthy that 10 countries have decided to suspend flights to Israel as a result of the developments. France, India and Poland have warned their citizens not to travel to Israel and Iran. In addition to these three countries, airlines in the US, Netherlands, England, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Greece have also announced that they have mutually suspended flights to the two countries.
Call for an Emergency Meeting of the UNSC
Iranian senior officials reported that the Tehran government has called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) against Israel due to “harassments targeting its territory.” A meeting was also requested to be held by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The officials said, “Our expectation from Muslim countries and international organizations in particular is that they stand together against the occupying regime that violates and tramples the rights of the Palestinian people and that all kinds of measures be taken to defend their rights. We expect them “To impose sanctions in many areas.”
