US President Joe Biden expects Iran to attack Israel "sooner than later", amid escalating tensions of an Iranian retaliation over an alleged air strike that killed its top commanders early this month.
According to several media reports, US officials are of the view that an attack on Israel is imminent.
On April 12, the US President Joe Biden advised Iran of any drastic steps. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden said simply, "Don't," and underscored Washington's commitment to defend Israel.
"We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel," Biden said. "We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed."
Countries, including India, France, Poland and Russia have warned their citizens not to travel to the region, which is on the edge over the war in Gaza that is now in its seventh month. On April 11, Germany asked its citizens to leave Iran.
Israel is expecting an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of retaliation over an alleged attack on Iran's embassy compound last week in Damascus that killed a senior commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' overseas unit and six other officers.
Israel did not claim responsibility for the airstrike on April 1. But Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that Israel "must be punished and shall be" for an operation that was equivalent to an attack on the Iranian soil.
Regional tensions flare up
Iran has missiles capable of hitting Israel directly and in recent weeks, Israel has bolstered its air defences, to intercept thousands of rockets fired by Hamas from Gaza and by Hezbollah from Lebanon.
Thousands of civilians have fled their homes on both sides of the border. The Israeli military has called back reservists in preparation for any escalation along its northern border, where it exchanges fire almost daily with Hezbollah.
The Iran-backed Lebanese aimed militia, Hezbollah on April 12 fired a barrage of missiles towards northern Israel, The Times of Israel reported. The Israel Defense Forces said some 40 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel.
ezbolla has been attacking Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis since October 8, 2023, following the Hamas massacre that killed 1,200 people.
The death toll in the prolonged war has surged to more than 30,000 as per Palestinian health officials.