Due to concerns about an impending Iranian attack, the US has limited the travel of its employees within Israel.
Employees have been instructed not to venture outside of the greater Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, or Be’er Sheva areas “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the US embassy.
Since Israel attacked the Iranian consulate in Syria eleven days ago, killing thirteen people, Iran has pledged to react.
Calling his Iranian colleague, UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron urged him not to escalate the situation any further.
Although it hasn’t acknowledged committing the attack on the consulate, Israel is generally believed to be the culprit.
Iran supports a number of proxy organizations in the region, including ones that regularly launch attacks against the Israelis, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas, the militant Palestinian organization that is at war with Israel in Gaza.
Together with other military personnel, a senior commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon was among the victims of the embassy attack.
The incident happened while diplomatic efforts to stop the Gaza War from extending throughout the region were still ongoing.
US President Joe Biden pledged to provide “ironclad” support to Israel during his speech on Wednesday, warning that Iran was preparing to launch a “major attack.”
Erik Kurilla, the general in charge of US operations in the Middle East, has visited Israel to meet with officials on security threats.
The visit was originally planned, but the Pentagon stated that it was moved up “because of recent developments.”
After speaking with Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian foreign minister, Lord Cameron stated that he had “made clear… that Tehran must not lure the Middle East into a wider confrontation.”
“I have serious concerns regarding the possibility of mistake resulting in other acts of violence,” he stated.
Speaking with the foreign ministers of China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the case that more escalation serves no one’s interests.
It’s unclear how any retaliation would be carried out and whether Iran would launch it directly or through one of its proxies.
An Iranian official declared on Sunday that Israel’s embassies were “no longer safe” and hinted that a consulate building would be a potential target.
“Any direct Iranian strike” on Israeli territory, according to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, “requires a commensurate Israeli response to Iran.” This was conveyed to his US counterpart.
When questioned on Thursday about the travel restrictions, Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the state department, said that he would not reveal the “specific assessments” that led to them, but that “it is clear that we are keeping an eye on the threat environment in the Middle East, particularly in Israel.”
The Israeli government has raised the “possibility of an attack on Israeli territory from Iran, and that such an action could precipitate wider escalation,” according to an updated travel advisory from the UK Foreign Office.
The Foreign Office has issued travel advisories for vast portions of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel since the attack on October 7th, which was spearheaded by Hamas.
The German airline Lufthansa has decided to keep its flight ban to Tehran, the capital of Iran, in effect until this Saturday.
After entering Israel from Gaza, gunmen killed 1,200 people and kidnapped over 250 more during the October onslaught.
According to Israel, at least 34 of the 130 hostages who are still in Gaza are dead.
The health ministry operated by Hamas reports that over 33,000 Gazans, mostly civilians, have died as a result of Israel’s ensuing offensive in Gaza.
(BBC)
