US warns Iran preparing 'imminent' missile attack on Israel, pledges 'severe consequences'

A senior US official on Tuesday warned that Iran is preparing to “imminently” launch a ballistic missile attack on Israel, and threatened that the Islamic Republic will have to face “severe consequences” should it take place.

While the US is actively supporting Israeli defensive preparations amid this heightened threat, Iranian state media has not hinted any imminent attack.

“The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel,” AFP quoted a senior White House official as saying.

“We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack.”

The United States and other western allies stepped in to help defend Israel against a combined Iranian missile and drone attack in April, which Tehran launched in retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

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“A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran,” added the US official.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has called for evacuations in Lebanese border communities and carried out ground operations against Hezbollah, claiming extensive incursions into southern Lebanon.

This escalation raises concerns about the depth of Israel’s military strategy as it seeks to counter Hezbollah, which is already reeling from recent losses. In anticipation of further conflict, the Israeli army has implemented new restrictions on public gatherings and mobilised additional reserve soldiers for the northern border.

According to The Associated Press, the White House officials did not immediately offer any evidence backing its intelligence finding. The official added that the administration was confident in the determination.

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Iran had launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel in April, but few of the Iranian projectiles reached their targets. Many were shot down by a US-led coalition, while others apparently failed at launch or crashed while in flight. Even those that reached Israel appeared to miss their marks, experts and an AP analysis in September showed.

In a statement on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel is facing “large challenges” in its conflict with the Iranian axis, urging the public to heed safety guidelines from the army’s Home Front Command without specifically mentioning a missile threat.

Hezbollah denied that Israeli troops had entered Lebanon, but the Israeli army later revealed it had conducted numerous ground raids in southern Lebanon over the past year, releasing video footage of operations in Hezbollah strongholds. If accurate, this would be a significant setback for the Iran-backed group, which is still reeling from recent targeted strikes that killed its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and several top commanders.

To support Israel, US naval forces are positioned in the region, including three Navy destroyers in the Mediterranean and an aircraft carrier in the Gulf of Oman, all capable of intercepting incoming missiles.

Israel has also advised residents to evacuate north of the Awali River, approximately 60 kilometers (36 miles) from the border, extending beyond the Litani River, the northern boundary of a U.N.-designated buffer zone established after the 2006 war.

“You must immediately head north of the Awali River to save yourselves, and leave your houses immediately,” said the statement posted by the Israeli military on the platform X. The warning applied to communities south of the Litani.

The border region has largely emptied out over the past year as the two sides have traded fire. But the scope of the evacuation warning raised questions as to how deep Israel plans to send its forces into Lebanon as it presses ahead with a rapidly escalating campaign against Hezbollah.

Anticipating more rocket attacks from Hezbollah, the Israeli army announced new restrictions on public gatherings and closed beaches in northern and central Israel. The military also said it was calling up thousands more reserve soldiers to serve on the northern border.

With inputs from agencies