ISRAEL is preparing for an “imminent” missile barrage from Iran with blood stockpiles, underground bunkers, and blackout drills.
The Middle East stands on the brink of all-out war after Israel’s targeted high-profile assassinations of two senior Hamas leaders and a Hezbollah commander.
Iran and its proxy groups, furious at the killings of their leaders, are set to launch a coordinated revenge strike “imminently”.
Israel is now preparing to deal with the onslaught and if the conflict spirals into war.
Spy agency Shin Bet has reportedly prepared a bunker for Israel’s senior leadership underneath Jerusalem, Walla news reported.
The hidey-hole, which can survive missile strikes, is being readied after not being used yet during the war despite the series of attacks on Israel.
Government officials have also been given satellite phones in case Iran’s attack wipes out telephone lines, cell service, and the internet.
Israel’s hospitals are also on high alert and are preparing for mass casualties from an attack.
Local media report a motorcycle fleet is ready to deliver blood around the country from a protected blood bank vault.
Hospitals are also steeling themselves for cyber attacks and for going extended periods without power or supplies.
Damage to power infrastructure could leave the country without power for 24 to 48 hours and affect at least 60 per cent of the country, one report said.
As the war threatens to spiral even neighbouring countries are beginning to prepare.
Jordan has asked all planes landing at its airports to carry an extra 45 minutes of reserve fuel.
Many other airlines are avoiding Lebanese airspace and cancelling flights as Israel continues to bomb the country.
Countries across the world have advised their citizens to leave Beirut.
But one expert said Israel is getting ready to “cut the head off the snake” in retaliation to Iran’s attack.
Dr Anahita Motazed Rad, a Middle East expert, told The Sun this time “Iran’s reaction would be hybrid, through a kind of multi-front. It would be direct and indirect.
“Indirect to its proxies especially Hezbollah and Houthis and it would be direct from Iran’s military missile bases.”
The Iranian security pro said Israel will hit back even harder, unleashing its “full military capability” in a far harsher way than they did after Tehran’s April 13th hit.
Overnight five US soldiers were injured after an Iraqi based used by the country was hit by a missile in what could be an opening salvo of the attack.
The US fears the full Iranian attack is imminent and has seen Iran moving missile launchers and conducting military drills, the WSJ reported.
It is unclear who officials believe carried out the attack, but Iranian proxies in the Middle East are known to target US controlled areas when tensions reach boiling point.
A White House spokesperson confirmed that President Joe Biden and his VP Kamala Harris were both briefed by on the missile strike by national security advisers.
In a statement they said: “They discussed the steps we are taking to defend our forces and respond to any attack against our personnel in a manner and place of our choosing.”
The US is sending a carrier strike group, additional warships, and a fighter squadron to respond to any targeting of its bases or allies.
Iran’s reaction would be hybrid, through a kind of multi-front. It would be direct and indirect
Dr Anahita Motazed Rad
John Kirby, spokesman for the US’ National Security Council, said the US needed to make sure it had the right capabilities in the region.
He said: “We’ve heard the Supreme Leader loud and clear that he intends to avenge this killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran, and that they want to conduct another attack on Israel.”
Senior US officials are also calling on Iran to no escalate the tussle as it tries to prevent a broader conflict.
Officials in America, Israel’s most powerful ally, expect a retaliatory April 13th-style attack from Iran which could hit in the next few days.
The coming bombardment is set to be even bigger than when the Ayatollah tried to blitz Israel with an unprecedented missile and drone blitz then.
The tyrant sent 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles across the Middle East but most were shot down, the IDF said.
President Joe Biden reportedly held a crisis meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss the Middle East melting pot.
Biden assured Netanyahu that US military deployments would be sent out to help Israel defend itself against the looming threats.
On Monday, Russia’s Sergei Shoigu arrived in Tehran to meet the new Iranian president and a Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander.
Senior Russian officials have said that the killing of Hamas’ leader Ismail Haniyeh were trying to end hopes of peace in the region.
ISRAEL’S Iron Dome helped shoot down 99 per cent of the missile and drones Iran launched in April. But what is it?
The air defence system is one of the best in the world having successfully intercepted thousands of rockets.
Mobile and fit for all-weather, the Iron Dome is at the forefront of that and was central to fending off Iran’s April 13 missile and drone attack.
Here’s the lowdown on the high tech system.
What is Israel’s Iron Dome?
Iron Dome is a counter rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) short range air defence system.
It is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 2–43 miles away.
It intercepts rockets that are travelling in the direction of urban areas and brings them down – the first system of its kind in the world.
Israel hopes to increase the range of the dome’s interceptions to 250km and make it able to stop rockets coming from two directions.
Developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, it can be operated in all weather conditions including fog, dust storm, low clouds and rain.
From 2011 to 2021, the United States contributed a total of $1.6billion to the Iron Dome defence system, befor another US$1billion was approved by the US Congress in 2022.
How does it work?
The dome is made up of missile batteries which are shaped like giant match boxes and are tilted in the direction of Gaza.
The Iron Dome monitor detects a target using radar and monitors its trajectory.
A control centre then calculates an interception point and then commands a rocket to launch if the foreign missile is heading towards an urban area.
Once in contact with the missile, the rocket explodes and brings it down.
Each launcher contains 20 Tamir Missiles with proximity war heads and there are several batteries positioned around the country.
Since being implemented in 2011 the computer systems have been updated, improved and upgrades to improve the accuracy of the rockets.
