According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Israel expects a direct attack from Iran in the next 24 hours. It is assumed that the attack will take place in the south or north of the country. At the same time, Axios' sources note that the Iranian attack will be limited to prevent an escalation of the situation in the region.
On 1 April, Israeli aircraft attacked the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed, including the commander of the Al-Quds Force, General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi.
After the incident, Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "the Zionist regime will be punished".
On 7 April, Khamenei's military adviser threatened that none of Israel's embassies were "safe anymore".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was ready for any response. "Whoever has done or plans to do us harm, we will do them harm," he warned.
According to Western intelligence estimates, Israel is preparing for a direct attack by Iran on government targets on Saturday, which could trigger a full regional war, Bloomberg writes.
The bombardment, using drones and precision-guided missiles, could take place within the next 24-48 hours, the sources said.
Oil jumped to its highest level since October after the news, rising 2.6% to $92 a barrel.
The US is preparing defences and has moved additional military assets to the region, while stepping up diplomatic efforts to contain the fighting, the sources said. According to them, the attack has not yet been approved by top officials in Tehran.
The United States has restricted the movement of its diplomats in Israel. The restrictions were imposed due to the threat of an Iranian attack on Israel. According to reports, Iran could attack Israeli territory in the next two days.