US General arrives in Middle East as Israel prepares for possible Iranian attack

Washington, DC (US), Aug 4: US Central Command's General Michael Kurilla arrived in the region on Saturday amid preparations for a possible attack by Iran on Israel in response to the recent killings of senior Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, US-based news website Axios reported, citing two US officials.

General Kurilla's visit, which was planned before the recent escalation between Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah following the killing of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, is now seen as a strategic move. He is expected to mobilise the international and regional coalition that previously defended Israel against an attack from Iran on April 13, Axios reported, citing a US official.

Three US and Israeli officials said that they expect Iran to launch an attack on Israel as early as Monday. Iranian and Hezbollah leaders have pledged to retaliate for the killings of Hezbollah's top military commander, Fuad Shukr, and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

According to a US official, Kurilla is expected to visit several Gulf nations, including Israel and Jordan. Jordan is a key stop, as it played an important role during the April 13 attack by intercepting Iranian drones bound for Israel and allowing US and Israeli jets to use its airspace for interception.

The official said that the US hopes the same will happen again if needed. The US is boosting its forces in the Middle East in preparation for Iran's possible attack on Israel and sending more warships and fighter jets to the region, the Pentagon said on Friday, according to Axios report.

US officials expect Iranian retaliation to follow a similar pattern as their previous attack on Israel but may also involve Hezbollah in Lebanon, Axios reported. The US government is concerned that it may be more difficult to mobilise the international and regional cooperation of nations that defended Israel from the previous Iranian attack, as Haniyeh's killing has drawn sharp sentiments against Israel across the region.

US and Israeli officials said they do not know whether Iran and Hezbollah will carry out a coordinated attack or operate separately. The officials said that they think Iran and Hezbollah are still working on finalising their military plans and giving them approval at the political level.

A US official said the Biden administration wanted to announce the bolstering of US forces on Friday as Iran and Hezbollah were discussing their response with the hope that the announcement will help to deter and influence their military plans.

When asked on Saturday whether he believes Iran will back down, US President Joe Biden replied, "I hope so. I don't know."

On July 31, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an attack in Tehran. In a statement, the IRGC said that Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed when their residence was hit in Tehran.

A projectile hit a residence allocated to war veterans in Tehran at 2 am (local time) on Wednesday, according to a Press TV report. Ismail Haniyeh, who was based in Qatar, travelled to Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian President-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a Press TV report.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in the Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday (local time).The IDF said Shukr was "responsible for the majority of Hezbollah's most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs" and for the terror group's "force build-up, planning, and execution of terror attacks against the State of Israel," The Times of Israel reported.

On July 30, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his nation has delivered "crushing blows" to enemies in the last few days, CNN reported. He made the remarks hours after the deaths of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.