World

US heightens alert for potential Iranian retaliation following Israeli strike in Syria

The United States has heightened its alert status in anticipation of a possible Iranian attack targeting Israeli or American interests in response to an Israeli assault on the Iranian embassy in Syria, according to a U.S. official.

“We’re definitely at a high state of vigilance,” the official stated, corroborating a CNN report that suggested an attack could be imminent within the next week.

Alleged Israeli warplanes targeted Iran’s embassy in Damascus on Monday, killing an Iranian military commander in a strike that escalated tensions in Israel’s conflict with regional adversaries.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran reported the death of seven Iranian military advisers in the strike, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a high-ranking commander in its Quds Force, which specializes in foreign espionage and paramilitary operations. Iran has declared it retains the right to respond decisively.

In a Thursday phone conversation, U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the looming threat from Iran. “Our teams have been in continuous and regular contact since then. The United States fully supports Israel’s defense against Iranian threats,” stated a senior official from the Biden administration.