US Urges IDF Readiness for Potential Iran Conflict

The U.S. military has alerted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to the possibility of an imminent escalation of hostilities with Iran, according to a report by Israel's Channel 12. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) representatives conveyed this warning to their IDF counterparts in the United States in recent days. Similar warnings have been issued to Persian Gulf states, despite recent statements by President Donald Trump. Concurrently, Washington is bolstering its military presence in the region, which already includes approximately 200 refueling aircraft and two aircraft carriers, with a third expected next week. Vice Admiral Kurt Renshaw, Commander of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, recently visited Israel amid active coordination between U.S. and Israeli military officials on potential responses to a new Iran-related crisis. President Trump has also engaged in discussions with Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, seeking progress on a potential agreement with Tehran. Earlier reports indicated that Iranian military and volunteer forces were conducting live-fire exercises with heavy machine guns, preparing for a possible foreign military landing, possibly in response to anticipated ground operations by Israel or the U.S. in Iran. These tactics were previously employed by Iranian forces during the search for two U.S. pilots after their aircraft crashed in the Zagros Mountains. Additionally, there were prior reports, which the Prime Minister's office denied, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad Chief Roman Gofman had developed a plan for a military operation against Iran before the elections, a plan that was reportedly discovered by the U.S.