US official says Iran preparing for ballistic missile attack on Israel: Report

The US believes that Iran is preparing to “imminently” launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel, a White House official stated. This statement came after the Israeli military stated that it launched ground operations against the Iran-backed militant organisation Hezbollah in Lebanon on Tuesday, further escalating the conflict after a week of intensive airstrikes that killed hundreds.
“The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel. We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran,” a senior White House official was quoted as saying by news agency AFP in its report.
The US is prepared to assist Israel in intercepting any threats from Iran, similar to the support provided in April when Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles, most of which were successfully intercepted, a US official stated.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli military imposed stricter restrictions on civilians in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, signalling preparations for potential reprisals from Hezbollah or Iran. The new limits on gatherings in Israel’s urban centres were announced just hours after the military confirmed that its forces had crossed into Lebanon in an operation targeting Hezbollah positions in the border region.
The Israeli forces stated that one army division — typically comprising over 10,000 soldiers — was engaged in “limited, localised, and targeted raids” along the border, The New York Times reported. However, it remains unclear how many of those troops have entered Lebanon.
For weeks, Israel’s offensive in Lebanon has been rising, including the intensive airstrike and killing of several top leaders of Hezbollah, including the group’s chief a Hassan Nasrallah.