Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke on Sunday with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and told him the Iranian military preparations suggest Iran is getting ready for a large-scale attack, a source with knowledge of the call told Axios.
According to the report, which cited two sources with direct knowledge of the issue, the Israeli intelligence community's updated assessment is that Iran is poised to attack Israel directly in retaliation for the elimination of Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and is likely to do it within days.
The new intelligence assessment indicates an attack could come before the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal talks planned for Thursday, potentially jeopardizing negotiations at what Israeli officials have said is a "now-or-never" moment for a potential deal between Israel and Hamas.
But one of the sources who has direct knowledge of the intelligence said the situation is "still fluid."
Iran's mission to the UN in a statement on Friday said "we hope that our response will be timed and conducted in a manner not to the detriment of the potential ceasefire."
The Israeli intelligence community still thinks Hezbollah is likely to attack first in retaliation for the elimination of its top military commander in Beirut and then Iran could join with a direct attack of its own, the sources said.
A member of Iran's Parliament, Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, warned on Saturday that the expected Iranian attack against Israel could last multiple days
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