Middle East: Israel's military on high alert, White House expects significant attack

– Israeli military on “high alert” over possible attack Iran or Hezbollah. Instructions for civilians remain unchanged, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said Monday evening.

– We are monitoring the actions of our enemies, primarily Hezbollah and Iran, the air force has increased the number of patrols over Lebanonto detect and neutralize threats, Hagari added. – We are prepared for both defense and attack, he emphasized.

The public will be informed of any threats as early as possible, but in a way “not to give our enemies intelligence information and operational advantage,” Hagari assured.

On Sunday evening, Israeli media reported that, according to intelligence, a direct attack by Iran on the Israel.

This is a change from previous assessments, which said Iran had refrained from retaliating strongly due to international pressure and that only Lebanon's Hezbollah would carry out an attack on Israel.

Both Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah have vowed to retaliate for the deaths of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in late July in attacks attributed to Israel.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said United States to be prepared for a “significant set of attacks” by Iran on Israel that could come this week.

He added that the US assessment is consistent with what the Israeli services expect.

He also reminded that during the weekend Pentagon announced the dispatch of an additional nuclear-powered submarine to the Middle East and the expedited dispatch of a second aircraft carrier, the USS Lincoln, to the region.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke on Monday evening with Iranian President Masoud Peshehkian, who he urged Tehran to refrain from a retaliatory attack on Israel because there was a serious risk of miscalculation and war was in no one's interest.

“The Prime Minister said he was deeply concerned about the situation in the region and urged all parties to de-escalate and avoid further confrontation in the region. There is a serious risk of miscalculation and now is the time for calm and caution,” Downing Street said in a statement after the two leaders spoke on the phone for 30 minutes.

Starmer stressed his commitment to an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, and said the focus must be on diplomatic negotiations to achieve these results. He also raised the issue of foreign prisoners held in Iran.

“The leaders agreed that constructive dialogue between the UK and Iran is in the interests of both countries. The Prime Minister added that this can only continue if Iran stops its destabilising activities, including threats against individuals in the UK, and does not continue to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine,” the statement said.

Iran's expected retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was also the subject of Monday's talks between the US president Joe Biden with the leaders of Great Britain, France, German and Italian.

According to Kirby, the leaders “repeated what they have said before,” that they do not want violence to escalate and that they still hope to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

Although Hamas has announced it will not send a delegation to the peace talks, a White House official said it still plans to come to Cairo for the talks and that “Hamas needs to be there.”

Asked about the possible participation of European countries in repelling an Iranian attack on Israel, Kirby recalled that European forces (Great Britain and France) participated in shooting down Iranian missiles and drones during Iran's last retaliation, but the decision on what to do this time is up to the states themselves.