Israel turns to US, UK as Iran's military strike looms amid tension: report

Tel Aviv: Amid tensions escalating in Middle East, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that he had spoken with his American and British counterparts, Lloyd Austin and John Healey, sharing with them a ‘ situational assessment in light of recent security developments’, Bloomberg reported.

Fear is rising over a potential spill over of the Israel-Hamas war, continuing over 10-month, in the neighourhood after Iran threatened to avenge the assassination of Hamas leader Isamil Haniyeh in Tehran this week.

The crisis comes nearly four months after both Iran and Israel directly involved in a fire exchange for the first time with Iran opening the attack, darting nearly 300 drones and missiles to Israel.

Most of them were destroyed by air defences from Israel, the US and several allies, according to the report.

It is reported that Iran’s military response this time could be ‘more fierce’ as it is reeling from the embarrassment of having a foreign dignitary killed in its soil.

Iran is left with options of another direct assault on Israel, step-up attacks by its proxies or hitting Israeli targets elsewhere in the world, according to the report.

Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense, previously said that the country will "certainly will help defend Israel" if Israel is attacked.

Meanwhile, White House spokesman John Kirby told CNN that the Pentagon is looking to ensure it has "the right resources and capabilities" in the region.

Israel has not yet confirmed that it was behind the killing of Haniyeh which came a few hours after a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut, Fuad Shukr, was killed.

The White House said in a statement that President Biden has assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a ‘ new defensive US military deployments’.

Later, Biden told reporters that he had pressed the Israeli leader to agree to a cease-fire in Gaza with Hamas.