Israel fears Iranian retaliation before Trump leaves office
While Israeli officials have dismissed Iranian allegations that they are preparing for war as "nonsense," Israeli forces have been on a heightened state of alert with the Jan. 3 anniversary of Qasem Soleimani’s killing.
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, who is also a member of Israel’s security Cabinet, dismissed as “nonsense” allegations made by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Jan. 3, as if Israel tried tricking the United States into waging war on Iran. “We hear this nonsense by Zarif, that Israel would set off terrorist attacks against the United States — this really is total nonsense. But on the other hand, it is a warning sign — a warning sign that Iran is taking aim at Israel, is looking for excuses to lash out at Israel, and therefore we need to have our finger on the pulse and be at the highest state of alert,” Steinitz told Kan public radio.
The minister stressed that it was Israel that needed to be on alert these days, and especially on Jan. 3, the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Iranian senior commander Qasem Soleimani by the United States.
Steinitz was reacting to a Jan. 2 tweet by Zarif that read, “New intelligence from Iraq indicate that Israeli agent-provocateurs are plotting attacks against Americans — putting an outgoing (President Donald) Trump in a bind with a fake casus belli. Be careful of a trap, Trump. Any fireworks will backfire badly, particularly against your same BFFs.”
Dozens of Hezbollah supporters demonstrated yesterday in Lebanon, just near the border fence, cursing Israel and the United States over the killing last year of Soleimani.
