Israel's military has said it is prepared for any Iranian threat, as tension builds after Monday's attack on an Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Israel is widely believed to be behind the attack, which Iran said killed seven Revolutionary Guard officers.

An Iranian official said on Sunday that Israel's embassies were "no longer safe", as it prepares a response.

US and Israeli forces in the region have been put on high alert in anticipation of a possible attack.

Reports in the US media suggest Iran's retaliation could take place in the coming days.

"The IDF [Israel Defence Forces] can handle Iran," Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi said in a televised statement. "We can act forcefully against Iran in places near and far."

Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Iran had a "legal and legitimate right" to respond to Monday's strike.

"The embassies of the Zionist regime are no longer safe," he told Iran's Isna news agency. He did not provide further detail as to what shape Iran's response would take.


The Iranian embassy (left) does not appear to have been damaged in the strike on the next door consulate building
In a statement, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the defence establishment had completed preparations to respond to any possible scenario.

The IDF has halted all leave for soldiers serving with combat units and called up reservists to bolster air defence.

Israel has also blocked GPS signals across swathes of the country in order to disrupt missiles and drones.

Media outlets in Israel have reported that some of the country's embassies were evacuated over potential Iranian attacks. The BBC has not independently verified those reports and Israel has not confirmed them.

In an apparent effort to prevent panic, a spokesman for the Israeli army said there was no need for people to buy generators, gather food or withdraw money.

How might Iran seek to hurt Israel after general's killing?
Syria's defence ministry said Israeli aircraft targeted the Iranian consulate building at about 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Monday.

Syrian air defences shot down some of the missiles, but others made it through and "destroyed the entire building, killing and injuring everyone inside", the ministry added.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said that seven of its officers were killed in the strike, including Brig-Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi and Brig-Gen Mohammad Hadi Haji-Rahimi.

Photos and videos from the scene showed smoke rising from the remains of the collapsed building. Hours after the strike, people in Tehran burned Israeli and US flags in protest.

On the day after the attack, Ayatollah Khamenei said Israel would "regret this crime", while President Ebrahim Raisi insisted it would "not go unanswered".

Israel and its closest ally, the US, have been anticipating an Iranian attack ever since.

In the wake of the attack, the Israeli military said it did not comment on foreign media reports.

But an unnamed senior Israeli official told Reuters news agency that those killed had "been behind many attacks on Israeli and American assets and had plans for additional attacks". They also insisted that the embassy "was not a target".

Israel has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of strikes in recent years on targets in Syria that it says are linked to Iran and allied groups which are armed, funded and trained by the Revolutionary Guards.

Iran has said the guards were sent to Syria to "advise" President Bashar al-Assad's forces in the country's civil war, but it has denied they have been involved in combat or established bases.

Israel's strikes have reportedly been stepped up since the start of the war in Gaza in October last year, in response to cross-border attacks on northern Israel by Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups in Lebanon and Syria.

Iran has avoided direct confrontation with Israel during the conflict so far, but Monday's attack is seen as a serious escalation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-68757080

misreal:
One week don pass,we never hear anything from Iran.
Someone should advice Hamas to release the hostages so that everybody can rest.

dangermouse:


Dem go hear? I pity Iran sha.

Make dem give Israel reason to go after them by coming out on an all out war with them, na wotowoto.

Israel don dey look for the opportunity since.

0m0luabi:
lol mumu as If Iran is Palestine or Syria,if they leave Iran one on one with Israel without America help your darling Israel will perish within a month of war with Iran

Iberl:
Most of the people beating Religious drum has zero relationship with God. Region has finished our space

0m0luabi:
lol mumu as If Iran is Palestine or Syria,if they leave Iran one on one with Israel without America help your darling Israel will perish within a month of war with Iran

dangermouse:



Iran no know Im mate?

Israel has targeted and killed their commanders many a times and what did they do? Zilch. Nada.

They hide behind proxies and be fermenting trouble here and there. That tells just how cowardly they are. Las Las they will just make noise and go back to sponsoring their proxies to continue perpetrating evil.

Don't come and be crying genocide when Israel start dealing with them.


Argue with facts. It's only people devoid of senses that will call another senseless like you just did.

No brains!

0m0luabi:
lol mumu as If Iran is Palestine or Syria,if they leave Iran one on one with Israel without America help your darling Israel will perish within a month of war with Iran

misreal:
One week don pass,we never hear anything from Iran.
Someone should advice Hamas to release the hostages so that everybody can rest.

dangermouse:


Dem go hear? I pity Iran sha.

Make dem give Israel reason to go after them by coming out on an all out war with them, na wotowoto.

Israel don dey look for the opportunity since.

rottennaija:



Una been shout pass this with NATO/US/Ukraine vs Russia. Una Don low key keep quiet now. Iran is going to respond to Israel and nothing the US will do. Nothing. When it happens, you people will quietly crawl back to your holes.

Iran will respond to Israel. Israel think nuclear weapons will save them? They will understand why US isn't willing to risk a fight against Iran.

misreal:

Don't quote me again till they respond.
I will really like to know what Iran can do since all they have been doing is make empty threats.
Abi na you want respond for them?

rottennaija:


I will quote you when Israel loses, when the European white population runs back to Europe and US, when Israel is deserted. When US begs Russia and China to intervene to save Israel. That time, you will reduce posting in nairaland, maybe even look for a new account like most of your kind.

Let me ask you, how is the American war against the Houthis going? I hope you read some weeks ago that Iran sized an America oil ship?

0m0luabi:
lol mumu as If Iran is Palestine or Syria,if they leave Iran one on one with Israel without America help your darling Israel will perish within a month of war with Iran

misreal:

If you can still be on nairaland with this same moniker till now,why should I leave nairaland if Iran destroys Israel, that is if wishes were horses.
I remember you were part of the people rejoicing over the attack on Israel on oct7th,when Israel started hammering Hamas,you started shouting genocide.
If you can still be on nairaland till now,why should I deactivate this account.

rottennaija:



Una been shout pass this with NATO/US/Ukraine vs Russia. Una Don low key keep quiet now. Iran is going to respond to Israel and nothing the US will do. Nothing. When it happens, you people will quietly crawl back to your holes.

Iran will respond to Israel. Israel think nuclear weapons will save them? They will understand why US isn't willing to risk a fight against Iran.

0m0luabi:
let your so called powerful Israel send missile or carry out air strike on Iranian territory that's when I will know that your Israel is actually powerful and Iran is a big coward but utill then they are just a spoilt kid who will soon regret her foolishness i repeat it Iran will destroy Israel completely without America support

rottennaija:


You don't remember shit because I never rejoiced over it. Meanwhile, Hamas has every reason to do what they did. A slave who does not fight back cannot be pitied.

dangermouse:



In your mind

A country hell bent on destroying another country can never stand.

Israel is waiting. We wan check something.

rottennaija:


People like you were cheering up Ukraine 2 years ago. Today, we are witnessing the end of Ukraine as a viable nation. Very soon, we will witness the end of Israel a nation.