JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel's political and military leaders are bracing for possible retaliation from Iran after a reported Israeli strike in Damascus, Syria, this week that killed two Iranian generals. Both the Israeli Defense Forces and the Home Front Command have begun war preparations.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed Israel would pay for the attack.
"They will be slapped for that, of course," he claimed. "Day by day, the (Israeli) regime will become weaker, and God willing, it will get closer to demise and destruction."
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah hinted the U.S. might be targeted in the retaliation.
Raisi declared, "America is undoubtedly an inevitable partner in the crimes of the Zionist entity in Gaza," while Nasrallah stated, "The enemy (Israel) will be defeated, as well as all who stand behind this enemy."
Iran may consider the upcoming Al Quds (Jerusalem) Day a potential time to retaliate.
Al Quds, the last Friday in Ramadan, is an annual day when Iranians chant, "Death to Israel," and demand the end of the so-called Israeli "occupation" of Palestine.
Anticipating possible reprisals, the IDF is increasing its air defenses and canceling vacations for all military pilots, also calling up air defense troops for duty.
Israeli media reports indicate in the coming days, the IDF Home Front Command will launch a media campaign to prepare the civilian population for an escalation in the north.
On the political front, National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz is calling on his rival, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to agree to new elections in September, two years ahead of schedule.
"I believe that the Israeli society needs to renew its contract with its leadership," Gantz insisted.
Netanyahu's Likud Party counters that with a war going on and a bigger conflict on the horizon, election campaigning would freeze Israel in its tracks and lessen its chances of a decisive victory against Hamas in Gaza.
Concerning the prospect of early elections, JNS Jerusalem News Editor Alex Traiman told CBN News, "You still have soldiers fighting inside Gaza with Hamas and you also have a much larger war potentially looming with Hezbollah in the north, and if you go to an election right now, that could really paralyze the ability of the politicians, including the Prime Minister – who would then be a caretaker Prime Minister – with limited authority to be able to conduct the way it is truly necessary."
On Wednesday, the organizers of an Israeli mass protest outside the Knesset called off their last day of disturbances, planned for Thursday.
Many leaders from across the political spectrum have criticized the protests outside Netanyahu's house and inside the Knesset, saying they crossed the line.
Some hostage families have joined forces with anti-Netanyahu activists to try to storm both the Knesset and the Prime Minister's home in Jerusalem.
President Joe Biden is having a long-distance talk Thursday with Netanyahu, their first since Israel's accidental killing of seven international aid workers in Gaza Monday.
Biden has expressed outrage over the killing, as well as the Israeli military's clearly stated goal of an invasion of Rafah to wipe out the last four Hamas military battalions. Yet, the White House still insists it backs the Israelis in their war against Hamas.
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