Gallant says Israel is ready for any Iran attack scenario

DUBAI (Reuters) – Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday that the country was ready to handle any scenario after Iran threatened to retaliate for the killing of Iranian generals on April 1.

An Iranian official said on Sunday that Israeli embassies were not safe, and a semi-official news agency published a graphic showing weapons that it claimed are capable of striking Israel.

Gallant’s office made the statement about preparedness after he held an “operational situation assessment” with senior military officers.

“Upon completing the assessment, Minister Gallant emphasized that the defense establishment has completed preparations for responses in the event of any scenario that may develop vis-à-vis Iran,” his office said.

Iran has threatened to respond to a suspected Israeli strike in Damascus that killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members, among them a senior commander.

Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said on Sunday that none of Israel’s embassies were safe anymore and that Tehran viewed confrontation with Israel as a “legitimate and legal right.”

Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency published a graphic on Sunday that it said showcased nine different types of Iranian missiles it says are capable of hitting Israel.

Israel has not confirmed it was behind the strike on Damascus. Its leaders have said in more general terms that they are operating against Iran, which backs the terrorist groups Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both of which have been in combat with Israel for the past six months.

The United States is also on high alert and preparing for a possible attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region.

Israeli, Argentine, and US authorities have blamed Iran for being behind the 1994 deadly bombing of a Jewish center in Argentina’s capital, which killed 85 people and for which Tehran has denied any involvement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian traveled to Oman on Sunday on the first leg of a regional tour, the ministry said, almost a week after the strike in Damascus.

“Amirabdollahian is traveling to Oman as the first destination of his regional tour at the head of a political and parliamentary delegation. Bilateral and regional issues such as Gaza will be discussed,” the ministry said.

Israel typically does not discuss attacks by its forces on Syria. Asked about the strike last week, an Israeli military spokesperson said: “We do not comment on reports in the foreign media.”