Senior Israeli officials said Saturday night that the country is facing 'critical hours,' amid reports that President Trump is close to ordering a military strike against Iran. The statement follows earlier reports of 'dramatic hours' as the White House weighs a decision.
Senior Israeli officials said at 20:45 Jerusalem time Saturday that the country is facing "critical hours," the latest in a rapid succession of increasingly urgent statements from Jerusalem this evening as the White House nears a decision on military action against Iran.
The chain of Israeli assessments began at 20:05, when The Zioneer reported that Israeli sources described the current window as "dramatic hours" and said President Trump is close to deciding on a strike against Iran. At 20:17, an Israeli source told N12 that Trump is "closer than ever" to launching a significant military strike on Iran, but cautioned that a decision has not been finalized, describing "record tension" and a situation "on the verge of explosion." Minutes later, additional senior Israeli officials said Trump is close to a decision on an extreme escalation that would almost certainly include Israel. The language then sharpened to "critical hours" in the 20:45 update, reflecting a growing consensus among senior officials that a decision is imminent.
The alert level has been building for weeks. As The Zioneer reported on June 14, Israel braced for a possible Iranian missile fire as the US applied heavy diplomatic pressure on Tehran. On July 8, a senior US official told Fox News that planned strikes would be "very hard," and on July 22 a security source described Israel as approaching a "critical night." The Home Front Command has tightened public safety restrictions in recent weeks as security officials warned of an imminent multi-front threat.
The officials did not provide further details on the nature of the threat or a timeline. The White House has not yet issued a final decision, and the situation remains fluid.
5 developments
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- StrongIsraeli Defense Officials Say US, IDF on High Alert; Aggressive Strike Postponed
- DevelopingIsraeli security establishment braces for possible US strike on Iran, report says
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