Israel Announces ‘Imminent’ Attack on Iran as Airlines Cancel Flights to Region

This article originally appeared on ZeroHedge and was republished with permission.

Guest post by Tyler Durden

Summary:

• Middle East braces for Israeli ‘retaliation’ attack on Iran after Israel War Cabinet meets
• Israeli Air Force says it has completed ‘preparation’ and that an attack is ‘imminent’
• US officials tell WSJ they believe Israel will launch an anti-Iran operation today
• IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi: Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel “will be met with a response.”
• Netanyahu orders military: draw up a list of targets
• Several major airlines canceling flights to Tel Aviv and whole region.
• State Dept spox: “commitment to Israel’s security is sacrosanct”.
• G7 working on measures against Iran as China, Russia signal weekend attack won’t hurt relations with Tehran
• European allies urge Israel against military response
• Tehran warns that it’s ready to hit back harder.
• IRGC says it is willing to hit back from Iran for any new Israeli escalation, including then it attacks in Syria.
• Iran FM: we warned Washington that response in face of an Israeli attack will be “faster, stronger, and broader” (via AJ).
• US reiterates that it “does not seek conflict with Iran.”

* * *

Iran vs. Israel: Is America Doomed to Be Pulled into Another Regional War?@gatewaypundit reports: “There is also a very real and tangible fear in the Biden administration that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu may be aiming to draw the US into a regional war.”

Just recently, in… pic.twitter.com/9dfWnVq1Ek

— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) April 15, 2024

Update(1329ET): It appears things are moving fast, via Israel’s Channel 12 broadcaster, following the earlier conclusion of Israel’s War Cabinet meeting:

THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE HAS COMPLETED ITS PREPARATION FOR AN IMMINENT ATTACK AGAINST IRAN

The Times of Israel top headline has switched to: War cabinet decides to hit Iran back hard, hopes it won’t spark regional war

A host of airlines have canceled flights to the region, including the following:

Germany’s Lufthansa has suspended its regular flights to and from Tel Aviv, Erbil, and Amman, up to and including Monday. Flights to Beirut and Tehran will remain suspended until at least Thursday.

KLM cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Dutch arm of Air France says.

Britain’s easyJet on Sunday paused operations to and from Tel Aviv. The carrier said in an emailed statement to Reuters that it will temporarily pause operations to and from Tel Aviv until April 21.

Wizz Air says it had cancelled most of its flights to and from Tel Aviv, Saturday through Monday.

Finnair has suspended operations in Iranian airspace until further notice, which may cause longer flight times on flights from Doha. A spokesperson said the Finnish carrier will reroute over Egypt, resulting in delays of a “few minutes.”

IRGC threatens “new equation”:

Potentially significant statement by #IRGC chief commander Hossein Salami:

"We have decided to create a new equation [with #Israel]."

This equation is that, from now on, if Israel attacks #Iranian interests, figures, and citizens anywhere, they will retaliate from Iran. 1/ pic.twitter.com/X3i8X74KWI

— Farzan Sabet (@IranWonk) April 14, 2024

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