Israel gearing up for new warfront after more terror threats

President Joe Biden discussed new U.S. military deployments to defend Israel during a Thursday call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The leaders spoke as retaliatory attacks on Israel by nearby terror groups loomed. Biden reaffirmed his commitment to keeping Israel safe from all Iranian threats, including proxy terror groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. However, the president still emphasized the importance of de-escalating regional tensions.

What kind of threats is Israel facing? Iran or its proxies may soon escalate conflict with Israel. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, Iran early Wednesday. Iran has blamed Israel for the death, although Israeli officials have not owned any role in killing him. Mourners from across the Middle East continued mourning the terror leader on Friday with prayers and memorial services. The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen vowed to avenge the death of Haniyeh. Israel faces a wave of painful retaliations that will hopefully change the tide of war in Gaza, Houthi spokesman Nasr Al-Din Amer told Reuters news agency on Wednesday.

Hezbollah official Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Israel also crossed the line in killing Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr, aka Sayyid Muhsan, with a Tuesday airstrike on Beruit. It is now a new phase of open war on all fronts with battles in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen, Nasrallah said Thursday at Shukr’s funeral. He also continued denying Hezbollah’s involvement in a strike on a northern Israel soccer field that killed a dozen children on Saturday that prompted the retaliation by Israel. Hezbollah would take responsibility for any place it attacked even by mistake, Nasrallah claimed.

How is Israel preparing for the expanded war? Israel knows how to respond to terror threats and is fully prepared for any scenario, according to a Thursday update by Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. Allies and international partners will also increase regional forces and assist in thwarting those threats, he added.

Dig deeper: Read my report on Israel confirming the death of another top Hamas leader from a strike in mid-July.