Israel has identified a “targets list” belonging to Iran-backed armed factions in the Middle East including Iraq, to strike them if the attacks from those countries continue, a Saudi news website revealed on Sunday.
“Military officials have reported that satellites and surveillance equipment have tracked Iranian attempts to transfer ballistic missiles and related equipment from Iran to Iraqi territory, believed to be aimed at conducting an attack on Israel in response to a previous Israeli strike on Iran,” Ilaf news site reported.
According to the Saudi news website, “a senior military official said that Iran intends to retaliate for the Israeli attack, which was not as weak as Iran attempted to portray. The threats from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei indicate that the strike was painful and targeted strategic facilities within Iran.”
Ilaf’s article further pointed out, “Information suggests that Israel is monitoring and identifying targets linked to Iranian-backed militias and the Iraqi state. Israel has sent warning messages to the Iraqi government, urging it to rein in the militias and prevent Iran from using Iraqi territory as a battleground against Israeli entities.”
“Israeli sources have indicated that the Israeli military is preparing to launch a wide-ranging strike on Iraqi territory, with more than thirty “legitimate” targets identified there. Coordination operations with the United States are being conducted at the highest levels for this purpose, along with the possibility of a broader strike on Iranian territory if Iran attacks Israel from its own territory, Iraq, or elsewhere,” the article continued.
In recent weeks, drone attacks have increased. A regional security official said there have been an average of five attacks per day from inside Iraq against Israel from armed groups aligned with Iran, and during the past week, eight drones were launched in 24 hours.
Two officials told the Hebrew newspaper, speaking on condition of anonymity, that US and partner forces were intercepting the attack drones, explaining that the ongoing attacks increased the possibility of Israel responding directly to those attacks.