“The US general in charge of US military forces in the Middle East arrived in the region early Sunday morning amid preparations for a retaliatory response by Iran and Lebanese factions against Israel over the killing of senior Palestinian and Lebanese faction officials,” Axios reported, citing US officials. “Mike Kurilla’s trip to the region was planned before the recent escalation in relations between Israel, Iran and Lebanese factions, but he is expected to try to enlist the same regional and international coalition that defended Israel from the Iranian attack on April 13.”
The website added that Kurilla is expected to visit a number of countries in the Arabian Gulf, Jordan and Israel. His visit to Jordan will be the most important, as this country played a major role in repelling the attacks of April 13.
The Pentagon confirmed on Friday that the United States is increasing its forces in the Middle East in preparation for a possible Iranian attack on Israel and is sending more warships and fighter jets to the region.
The New York Times claimed last Wednesday that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had ordered a direct strike on Israel in response to the killing of the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian factions movement, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran. Later, Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani, told a Security Council meeting that Tehran reserved the right to self-defense to respond to Haniyeh’s killing when it deemed it necessary. He also noted that the assassination would not have happened without American intelligence support for Israel. The Iranian mission to the United Nations also called on the Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel.
Source: Novosti
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2024-08-04 21:09:06
