Israel prepared for Iranian retaliation in coordination with US: Military chief
Israel's military chief Herzi Halevi said on Friday that the army was prepared, in close coordination with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), for a possible Iranian retaliatory attack.
Israel was on high alert on Friday as warnings increased of Iranian retaliation following Israeli airstrikes on Iran's embassy in Damascus, in which seven senior Iranian officers were killed.
Photos released by the military showed CENTCOM Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla participating in a situational assessment meeting in Tel Aviv alongside Halevi and other senior Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commanders on Friday.
"The IDF is very strongly prepared, both offensively and defensively, against any threat," Halevi said, adding the military was "constantly preparing to deal with existing and potential threats in coordination with the United States Armed Forces."
Later in a press briefing, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari said the joint meeting was held to "ensure a close coordination between us."
Hagari said that Israel's official alert application Home Front Command had not released new instructions for the public but that the military was on high alert. "We are prepared for an attack with various capabilities and we will also know how to defend the citizens of Israel," said Hagari.